Africa-Press – Senegal. Players Lamine Camara from FC Metz (French elite) and Abdoulaye Niakhaté Ndiaye from ESTAC Troyes in French league 2 “have the potential to evolve” in the A national team and deserve their first call-up, said Senegal coach Aliou Cissé on Friday.
« The boys on this list deserve it. They have worked and are competitive. Lamine Camara showed what he is capable of with the local and under-20 team. When he joined Ligue 2 with Metz, I was immediately impressed by his integration, » he said.
Cissé was speaking during a press briefing held on the occasion of the publication of the list of 25 players summoned to take part in the friendly match against Algeria on September 12.
« At the start of the season, it’s complicated. It’s Ligue 1, but that doesn’t mean he has to be called into this team. He has the potential to develop in this team, » he said.
« It’s the same for Abdoulaye Niakhaté Ndiaye who is part of the Olympic team. He’s a boy that I really liked in Bastia (French Ligue 2), today he is in Troyes. He deserves to join the group. These are boys who must be followed,’ insisted Aliou Cissé.
According to the Senegalese technician, it was « important to bring them for friendly matches without stakes. They will find African champions, players who have around a hundred caps. But the sooner they join the team of tomorrow, the more experience they will gain.
Nampalys and Gomis without a club and absent
« Nampalys Mendy is a very important boy in our squad. His situation as a player without a club is detrimental to him and detrimental to us too. I preferred to leave him with his club, because I need competitive players,” explained Aliou Cissé. He recalled that “Alfred Gomis is in the same difficult situation with Rennes (France)”.
Andy Diouf and Habib Diarra, the choice of France
French players of Senegalese origin Andy Diouf from Lens (French Ligue 1) and Habib Diarra from Strasbourg (French Ligue 1) were called up on Thursday by Thierry Henry for the France Espoirs team.
« We will not run behind any player, but we will go after a Senegal player wherever he is. We got closer to Diarra and Andy. Life is made of choices. They chose to stay with the Espoirs team. I hope it will work out for them, » said Aliou Cissé.
According to him, the staff of the Senegal team did their duty by going to them to sell them the Senegal project and show them the interest he had in them. “I spoke with them and their parents. They told me to give them time, they made their choice, » he admitted.
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