[ad_1]
By Mihlali Baleka 
11h ago
JOHANNESBURG – Revered in South Africa and across the continent after a successful seven and a half year stint with Mamelodi Sundowns, Pitso Mosimane is about to do what he does best: rewrite the history books.
However, Mosimane’s success was not easy to come by, as many did not propose to him for the position of Sundowns head coach in 2012 after being known simply for his promising career at SuperSport United and a failed stint at Bafana Bafana.
But nearly eight years later, Mosimane had turned his detractors and skeptics into fans after winning 11 titles, including five league titles and the coveted CAF Champions League and Super Cup.
As Mosimane and Sundowns rose across the continent and the world, their rivals began to take notice of them. So when Al Ahly parted ways with coach Rene Weiler mid-season, despite being on the verge of a hat-trick, Mosimane was the club’s first target.
And that is why it is almost taboo to think that Mosimane took over the reins of the African Club of the Century out of courtesy, while instead it was because of his brilliance as a strategist that the club’s president, Mahmoud El Khatib, hunted him down to replace him. Weiler.
In his reign that lasted less than two months at Al Ahly, Mosimane has already won the Egyptian Premiership crown, while also leading his troops to the semi-finals of the Egyptian Super Cup.
But he will undoubtedly have to earn his stripes at the club tonight when Al Ahly meet nemesis Zamalek SC in the final of Africa’s premier club knockout competition at Cairo International Stadium, hoping to clinch their ninth continental championship record.
It is the first time that the club has been led by a black coach from outside Egypt.
And that’s why Mosimane has a great job for him in Egypt’s capital Cairo tonight.
But if there is anyone who can do the job, it is him.
After all, that it is admired and respected across the continent is not due to its charm; Rather, it is because it is one of the forces to be reckoned with and among the best to do this job, particularly against North Africans, who have dominated the continent for generations.
After beating Zamalek 3-1 on aggregate to win the Champions League with Sundowns in 2016, Mosimane proved his future club was vulnerable as well, defeating Al Ahly 5-1 to reach the competitive semi-finals of the season. pass.
But former Mosimane men always ran into another North African team, Wydad Casablanca, who kicked them out of the competition numerous times in the past.
But the 56-year-old coach is on track to level the playing field since joining Al Ahly.
The Red Devils defeated Wydad 5-1 on aggregate in the semifinals. But for Mosimane to go down as one of the few to do so repeatedly on the continent, that should come with a gold medal against Zamalek late in the game in Cairo at the stroke of midnight.
The South African Football Association was one of the first federations to convey its messages of luck to “Jingles”, Executive Chairman Tebogo Motlanthe said that Mosimane’s triumph would not only mean a lot to him but to South Africans in general.
“You are a true ambassador of the country and we are proud of you. Go make us proud that we all love and admire your honesty and professionalism. You are a true champion, ”Motlanthe said in a statement issued by the association.
@Mihlalibaleka
[ad_2]
