Pitso’s eyes on national teams

Pitso Mosimane says he’s waiting for “the right offer” before making his next move, and he wishes that offer comes from a national team.

SA’s most decorated football coach has not had a job since June, when he parted ways with Saudi Arabia’s Abha following the expiry of his short-term deal after he failed to save them from relegation.

It’s been months since league football returned but Mosimane has not been anywhere near club football and while he says he’s not been short of offers, he’s not received one to convince him to end his mini-sabbatical.

“The offers have been there, to be honest,” Mosimane said. "But there hasn’t been the right one yet. You have to wait and see if the right one comes. I’m at a point in my career where I can look at an offer and decide it’s not suitable for me. I can’t take an offer just because it’s on the table.”

After claiming three CAF Champions League and several championships with Mamelodi Sundowns and Al-Ahly, while also enjoying high-paying stints in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, Mosimane would now prefer to venture into international football.

“My wish is to get a national team,” he confessed. “I can’t say no to club football, I’m just stating my wish. The question is, what’s there for me to get in club football? Do I want to win the CAF Champions League again? Do I want to coach a team just because they are in the Champions League? Are they going to the (Fifa) Club World Cup (next year)?”

Mosimane has spent the past three months attending to his schools football project, which involved honing kids, and being home has for a change allowed him to keep abreast of developments in the domestic league. He reckons Manqoba Mngqithi will get it right at Sundowns after a difficult start which saw the team eliminated from the MTN8 at the semifinal stage by Stellenbosch.

“It’s not the first time that he (Mngqithi) is head coach. When I left in 2020 he was head coach (alongside Rulani Mokwena). I don’t know why he was removed but Rulani did well. Rulani has been removed and Manqoba is back now and perhaps the Sundowns management are correcting themselves…I don’t know. Sundowns should not be judged on the MTN8. They should be judged on the league, Champions League and the Club World Cup. Even most of my starts at Sundowns were always battling.”

Sundowns will open defence of their Premiership title with a Tshwane derby against SuperSport United this evening at Lucas Moripe Stadium (7.30pm).

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