Cisse becomes a World Cup beacon as only black coach in Russia finals
By any measure Aliou Cisse is a cool bloke. His dread-locked knuckle-pump and prolonged stare in celebration of Senegal’s second goal against Poland are already among the signature moments of this World Cup.
Cisse followed a fine football career that took in spells at Birmingham and Portsmouth, with the step into coaching, first via the Senegal Under-23s and now the national team. And by virtue of his ethnicity in a profession that does not reward racial diversity he has become a beacon at this tournament, the only black coach in the technical area.
Cisse first came to our attention 16 years ago when as captain of Senegal he bossed Patrick Vieira about the pitch in the victory over defending champions France in their first match at the 2002 World Cup. Like the black managers in English football, and there have been only five in the top tiers, Cisse cannot escape the role of ethnic totem.
He is particularly significant in Africa since the African nations persist in the distrust of their own. Of the four African nations in addition to Senegal in Russia, only Tunisia are led by a national-born coach. Nigeria, Morocco and Egypt are coached by white foreign managers from Germany, France and Argentina respectively, and two of them, Gernot Rohr at Nigeria and Hector Cuper with Egypt, are in their sixties.
While Cisse’s expertise as a coach, amply demonstrated in the ransacking of Polish ambition in their opening Group H match in Moscow, is sufficient topic for discussion and ought to be the only item on the agenda, reality demands he address the lack of opportunity for young, black coaches in Africa and beyond. This he does with grace.
“It’s true that I am the only black coach in this World Cup,” said Cisse. “Football is a universal sport. It is good to see there is a black coach but, beyond football, it shows we have quality coaches. I represent a new generation that would like to have its place in African and world football.
“Beyond being good players, we are very good in our tactics and have the right to be part of the top international matches.”
Cisse has populated his support staff with Senegalese nationals, Tony Sylva and Omar Daf, veterans of the 2002 World Cup campaign, and ex newcastle defender Lamine Diatta. “It was some 25 years ago that African countries regularly came just to be a part of the World Cup,” said Cisse. “I think that things have developed but it’s more complicated in our continent – we have realities that are not evident in other continents. We trust our football, we have no complex, we have great players, now we need African coaches for our football to go ahead.”