Pitso Mosimane pledged yesterday to take Al-Ahli Saudi back to where they belong after completing his first training session with the team, ahead of his debut in the club's dugout today.
Ahli visit Jeddah tomorrow (7.15pm SA time) in what will be Mosimane’s first match in charge, and he addressed his first press conference after yesterday’s session.
“I’m here to take this team to where it’s supposed to be – that’s the reason I’m here,” the legendary SA coach told journalists through an Arabic translator.
“I have one year to do that,” he said, falling short of promising immediate return to the Saudi Pro League for the Saudi giants who’ve dropped a division down after finishing 15th last season.
Mosimane confessed he wasn’t that clued up about Asian football but promised he had started taking lessons. “I’m slowly learning about this region, and I’m prepared to learn even more. I was welcomed very well at the airport…I feel at home and I’m ready to work.”
The former Al-Ahly and Bafana Bafana coach said he was “humbled” the Ahli supporters had welcomed his regime with warm hands. “They have showed me how they love this team, how they want it back in the top league. Even at the hotel where we stay, we met a lot of people who wished us well. I know where I am, I know how big this team is.”
Mosimane said he won’t immediately ring changes in the team for tonight’s match, as they had won their previous match against Ohod convincingly. “I’ve had only one training session, and you can’t do much in terms of the team, especially when you won 3-0 the previous game. So we have to continue and hope we do well again [today].”
He said he and his team had already watched some of Ahli’s previous matches, even those from last term when they got the chop. “From what we’ve seen [from the videos], we’ve realised we’ve lost too many players. But that doesn’t mean the players who’ve remained aren’t good enough.
"They are good enough to bring the team back, and that’s why we believe in this project. We chose to be here even though we had offers elsewhere. We are convinced this is a good project.”
Pitso makes bold promise ahead of Ahli debut today
Coach pledges to take Saudi giants back to Pro League
Image: Twitter/Al-Ahli Saudi Club
Pitso Mosimane pledged yesterday to take Al-Ahli Saudi back to where they belong after completing his first training session with the team, ahead of his debut in the club's dugout today.
Ahli visit Jeddah tomorrow (7.15pm SA time) in what will be Mosimane’s first match in charge, and he addressed his first press conference after yesterday’s session.
“I’m here to take this team to where it’s supposed to be – that’s the reason I’m here,” the legendary SA coach told journalists through an Arabic translator.
“I have one year to do that,” he said, falling short of promising immediate return to the Saudi Pro League for the Saudi giants who’ve dropped a division down after finishing 15th last season.
Mosimane confessed he wasn’t that clued up about Asian football but promised he had started taking lessons. “I’m slowly learning about this region, and I’m prepared to learn even more. I was welcomed very well at the airport…I feel at home and I’m ready to work.”
The former Al-Ahly and Bafana Bafana coach said he was “humbled” the Ahli supporters had welcomed his regime with warm hands. “They have showed me how they love this team, how they want it back in the top league. Even at the hotel where we stay, we met a lot of people who wished us well. I know where I am, I know how big this team is.”
Mosimane said he won’t immediately ring changes in the team for tonight’s match, as they had won their previous match against Ohod convincingly. “I’ve had only one training session, and you can’t do much in terms of the team, especially when you won 3-0 the previous game. So we have to continue and hope we do well again [today].”
He said he and his team had already watched some of Ahli’s previous matches, even those from last term when they got the chop. “From what we’ve seen [from the videos], we’ve realised we’ve lost too many players. But that doesn’t mean the players who’ve remained aren’t good enough.
"They are good enough to bring the team back, and that’s why we believe in this project. We chose to be here even though we had offers elsewhere. We are convinced this is a good project.”
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