Coach Quits 2/3rds of the Way Through Tournament, Players Partying, No Wonder Senegal are Out

January 31st, 2008 | by: Daryl | Comments(3)

Senegal were somewhere among the favourites to win the Africa Cup of Nations. Maybe not thee favourites, but they were expected to go far. They were certainly expected to get out of group D. But instead they finished third, without a win and only avoiding last place by virtue of having scored more goals than South Africa.

Clearly all was not well. After the defeat to Angola, Senegal’s Polish coach Henryk Kasperczak surprisingly quit with a game still to go and Senegal’s hopes still alive. Kasperczak’s assistant Lamine N’Diaye stepped up to replace him, but the first thing in his inbox was a report that three of his players had been caught partying.

Seems El-Hadji Diouf, keeper Tony Sylva and midfielder Ousmane N’Doye all broke team curfew during the week and went out on the town and so were suspended for today’s game with South Africa. It’s not clear whether it was N’Diaye’s decision or the Senegalese FA’s decision to suspend the players. Either way, Senegal only managed a 1-1 draw with South Africa and won’t be tasting any quarterfinal action. The reputation of the Senegal team is now pretty much in tatters, after being so respected in the wake of World Cup 2002.

The worst thing about this is the seniority of the players involved. It’s not as if it was three young players who just couldn’t resist the nightlife. El-Hadji Diouf is the team’s captain and talisman. As Diouf goes, so the team goes. Tony Sylva is the long-term keeper and well into his 30s, and even N’Doye is no teenager at 29. They all should know better. With such established players treating the Africa Cup of Nations like spring break it’s no wonder Senegal crashed out without a win.