SEN – Ex-France boss Weisz says there is a ‘90 percent chance’ he will coach Senegal

TOULON (Afrobasket 2011) – Alain Weisz has spoken with a lot of enthusiasm about the opportunity he has to lead Senegal at this summer’s Afrobasket in Madagascar.

The 57-year-old has been offered the job by the Senegalese Basketball Federation but the two sides have yet to put pen to paper on a deal.

“There is a 90 percent chance for us to reach an agreement and I'll then be available to coach Senegal,” Weisz said to FIBA.com.

Weisz, who coached France at the EuroBasket in 2001 and 2003, added that “negotiations are running well.”

Currently the coach of French side Hyeres-Toulon, who are in the LNB play-offs, Weisz thinks Senegal have the potential to win the Afrobasket and qualify for the London Olympics.

“They have good players who are able to succeed at the international level,” he said.

With talented players in the top leagues around the world, Senegal’s last international success in the past decade came at Afrobasket 2005 in Algeria where they finished runners-up to Angola.

The main player in that Senegal side was Barcelona center Boniface N'Dong, who was named Afrobasket MVP.

Their last Afrobasket gold medal came in 1997, when Senegal hosted the tournament and beat Nigeria in the final.

It remains to be seen which players will show up for national team duty.

“They have many players spread all over the world and the Senegalese Basketball Federation is now trying to persuade them to join the team, which is a challenge at the moment,” Weisz said.

Asked about the task he faces if things go as planned, Weisz said he will be able to analyze the squad “when we have the first contact. All I know now is that they have good players to succeed at international level.”

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Julio Chitunda
FIBA