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CAPE TOWN \u2013 World Cup winner Patrick Vieira headlines a lengthy list of new \u200ccoaches in charge of African national teams as the group qualifiers for next year\u2019s Africa Cup of Nations finals kick off on Thursday.<\/strong><\/p>\n Vieira takes charge of Senegal, where he was born, as they look to recover from a disappointing World Cup where they \u200bwere expected to pose Africa\u2019s best challenge at the tournament in Canada, Mexico, and the United States \u200bbut delivered an underwhelming performance that cost their former coach Pape Bouna Thiaw his \u2060job.<\/p>\n A total of 21 new coaches will be in charge this week as 48 countries begin the group \u200bphase of the qualifiers. The list includes six of the 10 African countries who competed at the World Cup.<\/p>\n Vieira \u200bwas only a child when he and his mother left Dakar for France, whom he helped win the 1998 World Cup.<\/p>\n \u201cI have lots of flashes, such as the place where I used to play football with a tennis ball,\u201d he said after returning \u200bto the country as an adult.<\/p>\n However, there is no home debut for Vieira this month with Senegal playing \u200bMozambique and Ethiopia away and then playing a friendly against the Comoros in Marseille.<\/p>\n PAST CUP OF NATIONS WINNERS BACK IN COACHING \u200cROLES<\/strong><\/p>\n Winning Cup \u2060of Nations coaches Aliou Cisse (Senegal 2021) and Herve Renard (Zambia 2012 and Ivory Coast 2015) have new jobs, with Cisse coaching Angola, who face Egypt in Cairo on Friday. Renard has an equally tough return to the role of Ivory Coast coach as they host neighbours Ghana.<\/p>\n Renard was drafted in as an emergency to coach Tunisia at \u200bthe World Cup, after Sabri \u200bLamouchi was dismissed following \u2060a heavy defeat in their first game. The North Africans have since appointed Moin Chaabani, a former international defender, to revive their fortunes.<\/p>\n Sebastien Migne is the new coach \u200bof Gabon, who begin their campaign away to Morocco on Friday. The Frenchman should \u200bknow their \u2060opponents well, having coached Haiti when they twice led Morocco in a World Cup group game in Atlanta before losing 4-2.<\/p>\n There is also a return for 78-year-old Claude Le Roy, as coach of Congo, who are away against Namibia on \u2060Thursday. \u200bLe Roy last coached Togo five years ago.<\/p>\n It will be the veteran \u200bFrench coach\u2019s 12th national team appointment and a second stint with the Congolese, where he was coach from 2013 to 2015.<\/p>\n Le Roy holds \u200bthe record for the most tournament appearances (9) and matches (38) coached at the Cup of Nations finals.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n