Change of era for Mali. Arriving in August 2024, Tom Saintfiet is no longer the national coach. The announcement was made Tuesday evening by the Malian Federation.
The Belgian technician had managed to take the Eagles to the quarter-finals of the CAN, with a minimalist style of play: three draws in group play, and an overtime victory against Tunisia in the round of 16. The adventure ended against Senegal (0-1).
If we are to believe the press releases posted by the Federation and by Tom Saintfiet himself, the separation is on good terms. Afrik-Foot mentioned unpaid salaries, deplored by the technician. But seeing the way the Belgian thanks the new president Mahazou Baba Cisset, it seems that everything is settled.
A new coach for Mali
The departure of Tom Saintfiet is not a surprise, as Mahazou Baba Cisset had indicated that he was looking for a new coach, citing his search criteria.
The president of the Malian Federation is looking for an African coach, who would have already managed an African Cup of Nations final. Which reduces the list to names like Aliou Cissé (Senegal), Djamel Belmadi (Algeria) and Walid Regragui (Morocco). Their phone may already be ringing…
