'Players can earn a good living here and buy houses': Pitso urges SA footballers to play in Saudi Arabia

Al-Ahli Saudi head coach Pitso Mosimane says South African players can make good money playing in Saudi Arabia.

Speaking on Radio 2000 recently, Pitso reiterated his stance that South African players should consider playing outside the country. He said playing abroad doesn’t only mean in England or the other leagues in the top six in world football.

“If we manage to have South Africans play in the EPL which is the best league in the world, why can't we have players coming to Saudi Arabia? Here in the first division, you get players who earn the salaries that players earn at Sundowns,” he said.

Mosimane said he was not trying to poach South African players but making them aware of their welfare.

“I don't want people to say 'Pitso wants to take our players', but we always talk about players' welfare and players can earn a good living here and buy houses.

“We can afford to sign [Mamelodi Sundowns striker Peter] Shalulile or [midfielder Gastón] Sirino. Remember that I know how much these players earn. I signed these guys, I signed Shalulile. Eighty percent of the players were signed by me,” said Mosimane.

Previously, the three-time Caf Champions League-winning coach said South African players need to look at playing in other countries that can boost their development.

“I think the players don’t know what is happening outside, they only say 'Europe', whereas there’s North Africa,” Mosimane said.

“Second, there’s the Gulf here and there’s also Europe. There’s the Europe of the top six leagues in the world and there’s the Europe where Patson Daka started [in Austria], where Sadio Mane started [in France's Ligue 2].

“There are also those [countries] in Europe of Scandinavia and Belgium. Those countries also develop players, so players need to understand that.”

He said players’ agents also needed to play a role by pointing footballers in the right direction and ensuring they get deals with clubs in leagues where they will earn game time.

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