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Mamelodi Sundowns’ mentor Pitso Mosimane has urged South African soccer bosses to have more faith in local coaches.
Mosimane recently led the Sundowns to a fifth Premiership title since taking office in December 2012 and a 10th for Sundowns overall, making him the most successful coach in South African soccer.
He did not hold back and said that local coaches are not respected in South Africa. “There is a perception in my country, and it is not just about football but about everything, that a black man cannot do this,” he said.
“I’m not playing the race card here because I don’t need to do that, but you know I always say ‘local is lekker.’ In my technical team, I have English, Greek, Indian, colored, Xhosa, Zulu and everything you can think of. It is the rainbow nation and I like that it is local.
“We need to believe in our own people.
“It does not mean that when someone comes with a European passport [they are ] better than what we have in the country.
“That is my message and I need to take this message to our own people here. I am from the Township, Assistant Coach Manqoba Mngqithi is from Township, Coach Wendell Robinson is not from the suburbs. Physical Therapist Saki Ngwevela is from Cape Pueblo Township. . “
Since joining the Brazilians during the 2012/2013 season, Mosimane has achieved an unprecedented trophy at Chloorkop that includes the Caf Champions League and the Super Cup.
In their seven full seasons, Sundowns has won the league title five times and finished second twice. They have also captured the Telkom Knockout twice and the Nedbank Cup once. Mosimane dedicated his fifth league title to the local coaches.
“We have many of these people in the country, but we like to fill our banks with people from outside.
“I’m not saying that we shouldn’t have outsiders coming to the country, but let’s see what we have here first.
“All my analysts and medical staff are qualified, they went to the University of Pretoria and the University of Johannesburg, which are credible universities. So why are we looking abroad?
“That’s the point I’m trying to make, that Steve Komphela or Mandla Ncikazi can pull it off, we have people here but we doubt our people.
“In this country, we doubt our own people, but the venue is lekker and this trophy is for the local coaches and we have them.
“We don’t have to go fill our benches with European coaches when we have local people. You are local journalists, why should someone from England come here to cover my story?
“You can cover my story.
“South African football needs to transform and change because we have the material and we can do it. If Hlompho Kekana and Denis Onyango can win seven league titles, that shows we can do it.”
