By David Gold
December 26 – Ahead of next month’s African Nations Cup, Group A rivals Senegal and Equatorial Guinea, who co-host the tournament with Gabon, are in turmoil due to political disputes over their national coaches.
Senegal’s Football Federation (FSF) and the Sports Ministry are locked in dispute over the team’s coach, Amara Traore.
His contract ran out last week, and he wants a pay rise but Abdoulaye Makhtar Diop, the Senegalese Sports Minister, has refused this request.
As a result the FSF has broken off contact, according to local media, and the selection of their 22-man squad for the tournament has been delayed.
With the competition getting underway on January 21, time is running out to settle the dispute, while friendlies with Sudan and Tunisia have been cancelled.
Senegal are in Group A along with tournament co-hosts Equatorial Guinea, whose coach Henri Michel has quit, citing interference in managerial affairs.
The former France coach had already quit once before, in October, though he returned days later.
He told French radio: “I have stopped my work because there are more problems than before, political problems rather than sporting problems,” citing being forced to select certain players among his grievances.
The official Government website reported that Michel had said he wanted to leave weeks ago, but only officially resigned last Wednesday (December 21), and they accused him of “sabotage,” leaving them in the lurch with a month to go until the country host the tournament.
They also said that a provisional coaching staff led by Casto Nopo would take over in the interim.
Senegal and Equatorial Guinea will be competing with Libya and Zambia for two places in the quarter-finals.
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