Coach Pitso Mosimane. Photo: BackpagePix
CLOSER LOOK: Are these the two job offers available to Pitso?
At least two job offers are said to have interested former Al Ahly boss Pitso Mosimane, which includes one club and one national team.
Coach Pitso Mosimane. Photo: BackpagePix
Recently, Pitso Mosimane has clearly indicated that he has no intention to rush into another coaching job after leaving Al Ahly. Although the veteran coach had just penned a new two-year deal with the Egyptian giants, he dramatically requested clearance to leave after meetings last month.
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Mosimane enjoyed a famed coaching career with Mamelodi Sundowns, and was involved as national caretaker coach for seven games in 2007. He 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.
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.
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.
Portuguese mentor Antonio Conceicao, who coached the Cameroon national team, and ex-France national team Bernard Cosoni are the other names linked with the Iraq position.
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Mosimane has now acknowledged he has received two offers, and that they are of interest to him.
“I’ve been asking my office, I’m feeling better now, ‘when do you think I should go back’,” he told Thabo Mdluli on Radio 702’s TheCMShow, as quoted by iDiski Times.
“Because a certain enquired and I like the team. In fact, teams! One national team and one club. I think this national team deserves to come out and win an AFCON.
“I get compromised because I like the space. I like start-ups, I like teams that haven’t achieved things and I like to go there.
“I think it gives me drive, like my previous club here in South Africa – they hadn’t won nothing in seven years before I went there and I think we left the jersey at a higher level, at a good place.
“Same with Al Ahly, they didn’t do nothing at the international stage for six, seven years. We did two [Club] World Cups, we did three CAF Champions League finals, two CAF Super Cups. So we were having good fun at international level.
“I like that national team who haven’t achieved much, but have big potential. I think we all want to do things where we think they have potential.”
Recently, a picture has come to light showing Mosimane at an unnamed airport along with his agent and wife, as well as his three assistants, which has led to further talk that something could be in the works for the former Sundowns coach.
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Mosimane, who oversaw 105 fixtures at Al Ahly, winning 68 matches, drawing 27 and only suffering 10 defeats, recently explained why he is happy to take a “break” from coaching for a while.
“I’m happy to take a break. I’m happy to wake up at 11AM, and I’m happy that I’m not accountable to anybody at this point in time. I’ll get back to coaching when I feel like I want to go back,” Mosimane said on Kaya959, as quoted by MSN.
“Sometimes you have to take a step back. Big coaches like Pep Guardiola have done that. Carlo Ancelotti has done that. Zinedine Zidane has done that. He won three Champions League titles, but he’s not coaching now.
“It was a difficult decision to make. I left voluntarily. It was a shock to everyone at the club, but I just felt it was the time to leave. I renewed my contract last year, and I thought I would stay longer, but every good thing comes to an end.”
Mosimane has interestingly also commented on social media to suggest his reasons for returning to South Africa were primarily due to family reasons.
“Al Ahly did not fire me or push me to go. I have big respect for President Khatib and the entire board including all the supporters of Al Ahly. I will always cherish all our trophy celebrations,” Pitso commented on Twitter.
“I have memories & archived (banners, chants of me at the stadiums). Unfortunately I decided to come home, (because) I needed this rest with my family. You now have an experienced European coach. Everybody should support and I believe he will leave the jersey at a higher place than he got it.”
It remains to be seen where Pitso could coach next
Interestingly, Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe has recently provided serious backing for Mosimane to coach Bafana Bafana again.
“I wish Pitso Mosimane could coach Bafana Bafana. He is my favourite coach and I love him. He will always have a special place in my heart and I will even get the Motsepe Foundation to subsidise his salary. I think he is quality, and quality should not come cheap,” said Motsepe.
