Senegal National team head coach Aliou Cisse says time is ripe for his charges to end their wait for an African Cup of Nations title by bagging the Cameroon one next month.Cisse has suffered a couple of AFCON heartaches both as a player and as a coach. In 2002, while captaining the Lions of Teranga, he missed a spot-kick in the final as his team lost out to a star-studded Cameroon side. In 2019, he again suffered a final heartache but this time as a coach when they lost out to Algeria.Cisse now wants the 2021 title and he says he has been running after the AFCON title since 1999 and believes that it is time his talented pool of players end the barren run.“I want this Africa Cup of Nations. I have been running after it since 1999,” he said at the press conference after unveiling the squad.Cisse will be going to the tournament with 17 new players who have never graced the AFCON showpiece after he decided to include a good number of players who were born in Europe in his squad and the tactician does not believe that this will work against them.🇸🇳 Senegal release their squad!The 2019 runners-up have called up a strong list, including Chelsea’s Edouard Mendy & Liverpool’s Sadio Mané.The Lions of Teranga are one of the favourites this tournament. pic.twitter.com/eA0VmcRHmD— African Insider (@African_Insider) December 24, 2021 “It is not the novelty (of the finals) that will make the difference but they can bring a freshness of approach to the squad,” he added.Senegal are pooled in group B alongside Zimbabwe, Guinea, and Malawi.Senegal AFCON squad Goalkeepers: Seny Dieng (QPR), Alfred Gomis (Rennes), Edouard Mendy (Chelsea)Defenders: Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli), Ibrahima Mbaye (Bologna), Bouna Sarr (Bayern Munich), Abdoulaye Seck (Antwerp), Fode Ballo-Toure (AC Milan), Abdoulaye Diallo, Pape Abou Cisse (Olympiacos), Saliou Ciss (Nancy)Midfielders: Idrissa Gueye (PSG), Nampalys Mendy, Pape Matar Sarr (Metz), Moustapha Name (Paris FC), Ibrahima Ndiaye (Luzern), Pape Gueye (Marseille), Cheikhou Kouyate (Crystal Palace), Joseph Lopy (Sochaux)Forwards: Sadio Mane (Liverpool), Boulaye Dia (Villarreal), Ismaila Sarr (Watford), Keita Balde (Cagliari), Famara Diedhiou (Alanyaspor), Habib Diallo (Strasbourg), Bamba Dieng (Marseille), Mame Thiam (Kayserispor)
