Mosimane ‘the turnaround strategist’, agents say as he joins relegated Ahli

Pitso Mosimane’s representatives have described the coach as “the turnaround strategist” and explained that is why he has made the surprise move to Al-Ahli Saudi FC in the Saudi Arabian second tier.

Ahli announced they had acquired Mosimane as head coach on Sunday morning. The coach’s agency, MT Sports, have confirmed the appointment along with the SA technical staff who served Mosimane at Egyptian giants Al Ahly for two years.

Having left Ahly on June 13 after guiding them to two Caf Champions League titles, two Super Cups and an Egyptian Cup, Mosimane and his technical staff of Kabelo ‘KB’ Rangoaga, Musi Matlaba and Kyle Solomon have switched continents to Asia and the Gulf.

Al-Ahli Saudi were one of the most competitive teams in the Saudi Pro League — with three league titles since being ever-present as founding members in the national league since its inception in 1976-77 — before their shock first relegation as 15th-placed finishers in 2021-22.

MT Sports said Mosimane, who joins the team in seventh place in the Yelo League (First Division) after five matches, has taken on the challenge of restoring Ahli to former glory.

“Coach Pitso Mosimane has navigated his career in a manner that not only changes the trajectory of a club over time but changes the game in a manner that positively affects the club and players,” MT Sports said on Sunday.

“The history and legacy of the clubs and teams that coach Pitso and his technical team have been able to work with over many years, speaks volumes to how they approach each chapter of their coaching journey.”

MT Sports noted SuperSport United “won two out of six cup finals” with “Jingles” as coach in the 2000s and they won three titles in succession under Gavin Hunt (2008 to 2010) soon after his departure.

With Bafana Bafana Mosimane was an assistant to Carlos Albert Parreira at “Africa’s historic, first Fifa World Cup and also played a huge role in SA improving their world ranking position between 2007 and 2012”.

“With Mamelodi Sundowns, he ... ended Sundowns’ six-year cup drought and eight-year league title drought at the end of the 2013-2014 season”, winning “a total of 11 trophies” in eight years including five league titles and “their first Caf Champions League and Super Cup titles”.

In Egypt, “along with their 70 million fans around the world, Al Ahly were yearning to win a Caf Champions League title as their last was won in 2013. Coach Pitso parted ways with the club in June 2022 having led the team to three Caf Champions League finals and winning two consecutively”, plus “two Caf Super Cup titles and two Fifa Club World Cup bronze titles consecutively, a first for the North African Giants”.

“Changing the game, for good is coach Pitso’s personal motto that he lives and works by.

“Having left Al Ahly three months ago, MT Sports has received numerous offers from clubs and national teams around the world for the services of coach Pitso and his dream team. However, the mandate that MT Sports received from the coaches was to only take on an interesting and challenging project that will enable them to have an effect in turning a team into champions.

“We are proud to announce that the decorated SA technical team will be heading to Saudi Arabia from September 2022 to join Al-Ahli Saudi Football Club in Jeddah.

“With coach Pitso Mosimane’s experience and track record of being the football coach turnaround strategist, the Caf Pro Licence graduate and one of the most successful coaches in Africa, he is more than suitable for this role. The opportunity to lead such a prestigious club in Saudi Arabia presents itself as the perfect project to yield a win-win result for both parties.”

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