ICYMI: Shock claim made about Pitso Mosimane

Recently, Pitso Mosimane clearly indicated that he has no intention to rush into another job after leaving Al Ahly, where he won a host of trophies and became one of the most popular coaches at the club.

Mosimane went on to join Al Ahly in a high-profile move and won several title in Egypt before prematurely opting out of his new contract. He has now finally received his CAF Pro Licence, which was was handed to Mosimane by the South African Football Association (SAFA) president Dr Danny Jordaan in a recent press conference.

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Pitso in fact oversaw 105 fixtures at Al Ahly, winning 68 matches, drawing 27 and only suffering 10 defeats, while leading the team to three successive CAF Champions League final appearances, and memorably winning the continental showpiece in 2020 and 2021.

There were some struggles towards the end of his tenure at Al Ahly, while his successor Ricardo Soares was sacked soon after taking over as poor results continued to haunt the powerhouse club.

Very strangely, Pharco FC defender Ahmed Abdelaziz Mody has now bizarrely stated that some of the Red Devils’ players thought Mosimane was an average coach.

“Zamalek deserved to win the league title,” Mody told Al Hayat TV. “Jesualdo Ferreira is also a great coach and he has a good team.

“Some of the Al Ahly players told me that Pitso Mosimane is a mediocre coach and only wins by luck. I support his decision to leave the club.”

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Such strange comments come amidst rumours that some would love to see Mosimane return to Al Ahly. However, it’s clear that the highly-respected coach is keeping his options open.

“If there is a good project, not offer, project, of a team that has capacity to win the AFCON, we will consider that,” he said during an interview with Newsroom Afrika.

“But they must be serious, it must never be that they want a coach (just) because they want a coach, and I should also assess this, can we really achieve what we want to achieve.

“So that’s what I’m looking for at the moment. Or, even a club in South Africa that wants to win the Champions League, that wants to win the CAF Super Cup. They must be serious.

“I’ve been four times to the Champions League final, I know how to get there. I also know how not to get there. I’ve failed maybe five times to get to the final, I’ve failed about five times and so I’ve learnt. In football we say it’s about lessons learnt.

“I’ve learnt from my mistakes but now the last three Champions Leagues we’ve been to the final. It means we’ve found the specimen of how do it.”

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Mosimane could consider pursuing a role with a strong national team

“We always have offers,” he said as quoted by TimesLive. “The hold-up was for me to take a bit of a break — 21 years, I have always spoken about the sabbatical, which I never took.

“Now I got my chance. I feel good, I feel happy to be home. The feet will always itch, but there must also be the right project. You don’t just leave the team that you know you will go to the Champions League final with three times in a row and take it to the World Cup to mix with the Bayern Munichs and Chelseas, and suddenly go anywhere else. Then what’s in it for you?

“Yes, offers are there. But it must be the right project and I’m open. Even national teams. Because maybe the only thing I haven’t won on the continent is the Afcon, so why not?…”

In the latest edition of iDiski Times, it’s reported that current CAF Champions League holders, Wydad Casablanca, could show interest in securing the services of Mosimane, although it’s no clear if formal contact has been made yet.

Interestingly, Wydad Athletic Club head coach Walid Regragui has now resigned after just one season despite leading the Moroccan giants to the double last season.

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Mosimane is reportedly also wanted in Iraq, with reports from that part of the world suggesting he is one of three coaches shortlisted for the top national job.