By James Copnall BBC Sport Online

Senegal look set to give local coaches Abdoulaye Sarr and Jules Bocande the opportunity to manage the national team for the foreseeable future.

Officials from the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) had announced that the Dakar Lions would seek a foreign coach to replace Bruno Metsu, but there seems to have been a change of heart.

Sports minister Joseph Ndong announced that interim coaches Sarr and Bocande will be given a decent shot at running the team on a full time basis.

"I think that we can work without Bruno Metsu," Ndong told the national assembly.

"Today Abdoulaye Sarr and Jules Bocande, who picked up the baton, have done everything we have asked of them.

"If everything continues to goes well, we can take up the option of working with them.

"I think that we should work with Senegalese coaches when they deserve it."

Only just over a month ago, Ndong announced he was in favour of bringing back Metsu.

His comments would suggest just how pleased he is with the work of Sarr and Bocande.

The pair led the Lions to a Nations' Cup qualifying win in Lesotho for their first game in charge, after having been Metsu's assistants throughout his spell as Senegal boss.

If Sarr and Bocande are allowed to continue at the head of the Lions, they will be the first Senegalese national team bosses since Amsata Fall was sacked in 1998.