‘We have signed players based on my word’: Pitso’s staff say he is easy to work with

From a distance, Pitso Mosimane appears intense and demanding but his trusted lieutenants Musi Matlaba, Kabelo Rangoaga and Kyle Solomon say he is not hectic and is fun to work with. 

New Al Wahda coach Mosimane's performance analysis coach Matlaba, fitness coach Rangoaga and football performance analyst Solomon know their boss intimately, having won numerous trophies with him at Mamelodi Sundowns, Al Ahly and Al-Ahli Saudi. 

“To be honest, coach Pitso is not hectic,” Matlaba said.

“He just wants you to do what you said you were going to do and that’s it. If you said you were going to do something, do it and if you did it once it means you can do it again. 

“I don’t believe he demands more than what you are capable of. You must show what you are capable of and you can’t drop that standard.” 

Matlaba said his relationship with and trust in Mosimane extends to scouting players for the coach. 

“When I started working with him, I used to watch a lot of leagues outside South Africa and I found one or two players who joined Sundowns and he said, 'you can’t stop doing that because if you do it once then you have to continue doing it'.  I am continuously doing it. It doesn’t mean that some players I bring he agrees with. 

“There are players we signed because he said he trusts me. We have literally signed players because of my word. So, if you say you are going to do something, do it and that is the only demand we have. Don’t give less than what you are capable of.” 

Rangoaga said Mosimane is a different person privately than the public persona. 

“It is so easy to work with him, I wish people could know the real him and not the guy who screams on the touchline. In private, he is a completely different person but he is very demanding. 

“For me, I work a month in advance because whatever he needs, he needs it now. So  make sure you are always ready and you will have a fantastic time with him.” 

Solomon said he had a different perspective of Mosimane before he joined the team. 

“Before I joined Sundowns, the Pitso I knew was the one from the media and press conferences and you think he is hard. But when you start working with him, he is completely the opposite. 

“He is someone who is understanding and you have to be honest because it is about trust. I enjoy working with him because he allows you to learn and gives the space to ask when you don’t understand.” 

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