Pitso Mosimane Al Ahly Mamelodi Sundowns

Pitso Mosimane. Photo: EPA

Pitso Mosimane BIG interview: Al Ahly (not Sundowns) fans are the best in the world!

Pitso Mosimane has given his thoughts on Al Ahly’s fans, discussed his childhood idols and the upcoming Club World Cup in a wide-ranging interview.

Pitso Mosimane Al Ahly Mamelodi Sundowns

Pitso Mosimane. Photo: EPA

Pitso Mosimane has given his thoughts on Al Ahly’s fans, discussed his childhood idols and the upcoming Club World Cup in a wide-ranging interview.

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Since joining Egyptian giants Al Ahly, Pitso Mosimane has incredibly lost just one title – the Egyptian Premier League – with the Red Devils, having lifted the Egypt Cup and Egyptian Super Cup as well as back-to-back CAF Champions League titles and the CAF Super Cup.

Talking to MTSports on Instagram, Mosimane answered a number of questions sent in by fans.

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His first question was regarding his nickname ‘Jingles’ and where it came from.

“The name came from school, I liked one players called Jingles Pereira, I like the way he played from the back as a defender. I always spoke about they and that’s why the name stuck with me through my friend.”

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Pitso Mosimane then revealed who were his football idols growing up.

“We started in the street and backyard, but if you ask me on a professional level it was at the age of 18 with Jomo Cosmos, but at the age of 16 I was already playing in the third and second division. When I was 11 or 12 years old my idol was Vincent Makorti and there was another guy called Tep Tep and he was also very good player, but these were at an early age.”

“But when I started to look at football differently and with age my top guy was Ace Ntsoelengoe but the big man was Nelson “Teenage” Dladla. But Jomo Sono also took part in that place.”

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The now 57-year-old former Mamelodi Sunodwns coach then detailed the ideal path he’d like at the upcoming Club World Cup.

“It will be a Japanese team in the first game, hopefully we avoid Chelsea and get South or Central American team, and Chelsea in the final.”

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Pitso Mosimane opened up on whether he still gets nervous before matches, despite his vast experience.

“I get nervous before every game, even in a friendly game, it’s just anxiety to know how it’s gonna come up, who’s gonna score? Which kind of goal can we score? Can we score the goals that we worked on? So yes, I do get nervous before games. I don’t think there’s any coach that’s not nervous, otherwise it means you know you’re gonna win. But all the games that I’m involved in, be it in South Africa or Egypt, you’re never sure.”

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He was then asked about his thoughts on Al Ahly’s fans and what he would describe them using one word.

“I don’t think there are an fans more passionate that Al Ahly fans. I’ve never seen people who are as passionate. They love the team, they love the game and they don’t take anything else but the win. High expectations from them, they put a lot of pressure on the players and the coaches but that’s the price you pay to play for or coach Al Ahly.

“They’re a nation”

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Finally, Pitso Mosimane explained what he hopes changes in the football world over the next 10 years and if he was subject to any racism since moving to Egypt.

“I think there are a few areas that need to be visited in the continent that I belong to. In the Champions League there’s a lot of work to be done. Training pitches, some teams don’t have training pitches, so that needs to improve. Also the difference between CAF and UEFA Champions League in terms of money, infrastructure. I think UEFA should help African football.”

“No, I haven’t any racism directed to me. I’m not saying that there isn’t, there probably is but I haven’t seen it from my players, my supporters. And if you face it, it would probably be from the opposition to take you down.

“But racism in the world is huge and you can’t ignore it. It’s there, it’s alive and it has to be dealt with,” Mosimane concluded.

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