Pitso Mosimane reveals Bafana Bafana job approach and why he turned it down

Al Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane has lifted the lid on speculation that SAFA had approached him for the Bafana Bafana job.

Mosimane was the subject of intense speculation linking him to a return to a job he previously held briefly from 2010-2012. The Kagiso-born coach’s two-year spell was a rather ill-fated one, which will perhaps be remembered more for one of the most embarrassing moments in the country’s football history, where Bafana Bafana prematurely celebrated 2012 Afcon qualification, before finding out they had missed out on the head to head rule.

Mosimane would eventually return to the club coaching scene after his Bafana Bafana travails, with a trophy-laden spell at Mamelodi Sundowns, which success at, constantly saw his name linked again, to the national team job. He would stand firm, however, with the only move that would eventually take him away from the comforts he had built for himself at the Lucas Masterpiece Moripe Stadium being from Egyptian giants Al Ahly.

SAFA had turned to Mosimane after missing out on Carlos Quiroz

The success Mosimane has continued to garner in Egypt had clearly not gone unnoticed, firstly making him the local football fraternity being vocal in their calls for the multiple league title-winning coach, to be re-appointed as Bafana Bafana coach following the recent sacking of Molefi Ntseki. SAFA seemed to agree with the calls with an almost public pursuit of his services being well-publicized.

READ | IS PITSO MOSIMANE DISTRACTED AT AL AHLY BY SAFA’S BAFANA JOB APPROACH

SAFA’s pursuit was reported to have got so desperate that, after Mosimane’s initial refusal, their top brass turned to the country’s president Cyril Ramaphosa in a last-ditch effort to convince the “prodigal son” to return home. That would also prove to no avail, however, with Mosimane remaining resolute in his stance to remain in Egypt. Now the outspoken mentor has confirmed the approach, as well as why he opted to turn it down,

“I’m a person who likes challenges, I like to go to colder environments, not warm environments,” Mosimane said ahead of the Egyptian giants’ second leg CAF Champions League quarter-final against Mamelodi Sundowns.

“I could’ve stayed at Mamelodi Sundowns because I had a four-year contract but I opted for a two-year contract. I opted to go to a team where I’m supposed to win the Champions League.

“I’ve opted to go to a team where I’m supposed to win the league, where I’m supposed to win the Egyptian Cup, to a team where we play the World Cup and bring back a medal for the continent.

“I had an opportunity to be the national coach again, for a very long time, a six-year contract, retirement, but I stayed where it’s cold. That’s where the eagle stays,” Mosimane confirmed in his pre-match press conference ahead of Al Ahly’s CAF Champions League second quarter-final leg against Sundowns.