International Football
We will feel Mane’s absence, Aliou Cisse, Senegal’s coach admits
Senegal’s coach, Aliou Cisse knows the enormity of the weight his team and himself carry as not just African champions, but also the best African ranked by FIFA for almost two years running.
Their anticipated good run at Qatar 2022 had been hinged on Sadio Mane, a humble but lethal striker who is now ruled out of the tournament owing to injury.
Ahead of their opening match with the Netherlands, Cisse said that Mane’s absence from the World C=up will be felt by not just Senegal, but by fans across the globe.
Mane has for two edition running the African footballer of the year and also the runners up to France’ s Karim Benzema in this year’s edition of the Ballon d’Or.
In a twist of fate, both Mane and Benzema are out of the World Cup on account of injuries.
Senegal coach Aliou Cisse said Sadio Mane’s absence from the World Cup will be felt by fans across the globe, after the forward was ruled out of the tournament with a leg injury.
Mane damaged his right fibula playing for Bayern Munich and his absence was confirmed on Thursday in a crushing blow to Senegal’s hopes for the tournament.
Cisse has remarked that the spectacle would be poorer without African football’s star attraction.
“We’re not just talking about the Senegalese people here. I think people all over the world,” he told reporters on Sunday.
“The whole football family is saddened by what has happened because he was the second best player in the world and he represents the African continent, as well as representing Senegal.
“It’s very, very sad for him… We wish him a speedy recovery. I hope he gets back to playing football as quickly as possible.”
Cisse also challenged his younger players to step up and shine on the global stage following injury to Mane, who has scored 33 goals in 92 internationals.
“Of course, we won’t hide the importance of Mane for the Senegalese team – he’s very important, a coach builds his team around his best players,” he said.
“But there’s also a group here with experienced players, with young players ready to step up. We’ve had to play matches before without Sadio Mane.”
The 46-year-old added that the African champions, who also face Ecuador and hosts Qatar in Group A, have “excellent young players”.
“I have a lot of depth on the bench, so I will be able to make good subs if someone is getting tired,” he said.
Senegal forward Krepin Diatta, 23, described Mane as the team’s leader.
“When you talk about the spirit and the morale, of course, it affects you,” Diatta said.
“He is our best player. He’s a leader in that respect. Of course, we would have liked him to be here, but God decided otherwise.
“We do though still have a very strong mentality. We are comfortable being together… It’s a big loss, but we have a strong mentality. We show teamwork and we’re good together. And I’m sure we’re going to get some good results at this World Cup.”
Former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has been named the new head coach of the England national team, the country’s Football Association said in a statement on Wednesday.
The German, who is England’s third foreign manager, after Sweden’s Sven-Goran Eriksson and Italian Fabio Capello, will be assisted by Englishman Anthony Barry, the statement added.
“We are thrilled to have hired Thomas Tuchel, one of the best coaches in the world and Anthony Barry who is one of the best English coaches to support him,” FA CEO Mark Bullingham said.
Tuchel replaces Lee Carsley, England’s under-21 manager, who has been in temporary charge since the resignation of Gareth Southgate after England’s defeat by Spain in the Euro 2024 final in July.
-Reuters
German Thomas Tuchel has been appointed head coach of the England national team on Wednesday.
Born: Aug. 29, 1973 in Krumbach, Germany.
PLAYING CAREER
* Tuchel played for his local club TSV Krumbach, before moving to FC Augsburg’s academy at the age of 15.
* He never played for Augsburg’s senior side and joined German second division team Stuttgarter Kickers in 1992.
* After eight league appearances for Kickers, Tuchel moved to fourth-tier SSV Ulm.
* Tuchel made 69 league appearances for Ulm as a central defender before he was forced to retire in 1998 at the age of 25 due to a knee injury.
COACHING CAREER
* Tuchel began his coaching career with a youth team role at VfB Stuttgart in 2000, working with future Germany internationals Mario Gomez and Holger Badstuber.
* He returned to Augsburg and took charge of their reserve team for the 2007-08 season.
* Tuchel was appointed Mainz 05 manager in 2009, replacing compatriot Juergen Klopp.
* He guided Mainz to Bundesliga stability during his five-year stint at the club, gaining plaudits for his team’s high energy, attacking style of play.
* Tuchel took over from Klopp as Borussia Dortmund coach in 2015.
* He led Dortmund to a 2-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in the 2017 German Cup final. He was sacked by Dortmund three days later.
* Tuchel joined Paris St Germain in 2018 on a two-year contract, replacing Unai Emery.
* He won two Ligue 1 titles, including a domestic quadruple in his second season, and guided the club to their first Champions League final, where they lost 1-0 to Bayern Munich.
* Tuchel was sacked by PSG on Christmas Eve in 2020, despite the club finishing top of their Champions League group and sitting third in the Ligue 1 table.
* He was named Chelsea manager in January 2021 on an initial 18-month contract following the dismissal of Frank Lampard.
* Tuchel revived the team’s Premier League season and guided the London club to the Champions League final, where they beat Manchester City. Chelsea also won the Super Cup and Club World Cup.
* Chelsea sacked Tuchel in September 2022 following a shock 1-0 defeat at Dinamo Zagreb in their opening Champions League group game.
* Bayern Munich appointed Tuchel to succeed Julian Nagelsmann in March last year.
* Bayern decided to let Tuchel go at the end of the 2023-24 season despite a contract until 2025. Tuchel steered Bayern to the Bundesliga title in 2022-23, but they finished the last campaign without any silverware for the first time in more than a decade.
* Tuchel will become England’s third foreign manager after Sweden’s Sven-Goran Eriksson and Italian Fabio Capello.
* Tuchel will take over the team in January ahead of the qualification campaign for the 2026 World Cup.
-Reuters
Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Mateus Mane has become hot property after Portugal named the 17-year-old in their Under-18 squad on Friday, one day after England included him in their squad.
Mane was called up for a second successive England youth camp by coach Liam Bramley before the team travel to Marbella for a four-team tournament this month.
Mane is eligible for both teams having played for the Portugal Under-17 side last season. As the Under-18 team is a non-UEFA age group, both nations are entitled to call the player up.
He made his England international debut last month against the Portugal Under-18 side who have named Mane in their squad for a four-nation tournament this month.
With both tournaments running concurrently, Mane can only play for one team and Wolves and England confirmed he would feature in Bramley’s side.
Reuters has contacted Portugal’s football association for clarification.
While players with multiple nationalities have played for more than one country if they are eligible, they are not allowed to switch allegiances at senior level – unless they have played only in friendly matches for the first country.
-Reuters
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