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Mamelodi Sundowns’ coaches Manqoba Mngqithi and Rulani Mokwena paid tribute to the club’s former coach, Pitso Mosimane, agreeing that his move to African giants Al Ahly paves the way for more South African coaches to be recognized around the world.
“He’s opening a door for all of us,” Mngqithi said of Mosimane’s move to the African club of the century, who will face Wydad Casablanca in the first leg of the Ahly’s Caf Champions League semi-final at Mohammed V Stadium. from Casablanca, Morocco, on Saturday night. .
“We can’t help but appreciate the opportunity he had and also appreciate the fact that he brought Calvin Johnson, Musi Matlaba and Kabelo Rangoaga to our compatriots. [with him to Ahly].
“We believe they will represent SA with pride and perhaps also open the doors for the majority of our coaches in the southern hemisphere to also obtain these opportunities.”
Mosimane brought fitness trainer Rangoaga and analyst Matlaba Ahly with him from Sundowns, and hired former Platinum Stars and AmaZulu Johnson coach as his assistant.
“We really wish him the best of luck and we are very confident that he got what it takes to get ahead,” Mngqithi said.
At Ahly’s semi-final in Morocco, Mngqithi said the game will be fireworks, but nothing Mosimane hasn’t seen before as the Sundowns coach who won the same competition after beating Egypt’s Zamalek in the 2016 final.
Mosimane fought in many giant matches against Wydad as Downs’ coach, earning the respect of the Moroccan giants and their supporters.
“One thing I can guarantee is more than a game,” Mngqithi said.
“In that space of the North Africans it is a fight and it is bigger than you can think emotionally.
“Sometimes the game can be a bit tricky because emotionally those players in that space never produce a very nice clinical game because there is always a fight within the game: the tackles, the reserves and a lot of things.
“But we know that coach Pitso has been in that space a lot. I am very sure that he will represent us with dignity and honor ”.
Mokwena also praised Mosimane, saying he deserves to be where he is in his coaching career.
“A very wise man once told me that ‘The moment finds the man,’ and I think that if anyone is up to the task it will be Coach Pitso,” said Mokwena.
“What he has accumulated over the years, his experience in the Champions League semi-finals, his experience playing Wydad, his experience playing North African teams, gives him the right tools to maneuver as he continues on his pioneering mission. .
“Ours is simply supporting him and the rest of the technical team on their journey. You know, even personally, that you have our full support.
“He knows even in private conversations that he has our full support and it is one thing to express support in public and another to sincerely express your support in private.
“He knows we wish him the best of luck, but we also have a lot of confidence in him and the rest of his technical team in Coach Calvin and in ‘KB’ [Rangoaga] because they are our people, they are our brothers and we know that they can achieve what everyone else expects them to achieve.
“So good luck and they will be lifting the trophy soon, so we wish them the best.”
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