"Honoured and proud." That was Patrick Vieira's reaction on Instagram after being confirmed as Senegal's new head coach — and given what he's walking into, that pride will need to be backed up fast.
Senegal sacked Pape Thiaw less than a fortnight after a World Cup campaign that fell apart at the worst possible moment. They battered Iraq 5-0 to escape the group stage, survived despite defeats to France and Norway, then squandered a 2-0 lead against Belgium in the Round of 32 and lost 3-2. That kind of collapse tends to cost coaches their jobs. It cost Thiaw his.
Vieira's first test comes quickly
The Senegal Football Federation has wasted no time. Vieira's official presentation is set for Friday, September 18 in Dakar, where he'll also name his first squad. Three fixtures follow across the international window — away to Mozambique on September 25, away to Ethiopia on September 29, and a home match against Comoros on October 4.
Low-profile opponents, yes. But the wins are expected, and the manner of them will matter. Senegal are rebuilding belief as much as anything else.
Vieira arrives from Genoa in Serie A, which makes him something of a left-field pick for a national team role — he has no prior international management experience. But the SFF have clearly decided his profile and the trust his name commands outweigh that gap. Whether the players feel the same will become clear soon enough.
The squad he's inheriting
There's real quality available. Edouard Mendy, Kalidou Koulibaly, and Nicolas Jackson give him a spine with top-level experience. Crystal Palace's Ismaila Sarr has been sharp, and Everton's Iliman Ndiaye is hitting form. The talent isn't the problem — Thiaw had plenty of it too.
The question Vieira has to answer is why a side this gifted folded so completely against Belgium when it mattered. Senegal's odds for the next Africa Cup of Nations will hinge heavily on whether he can answer it.
"Let's go LIONS!" he signed off. It's the right energy. Now comes the harder part.
