Mosimane leaves Iranian club Esteghlal over ‘unpaid salaries’

Pitso Mosimane has quit Esteghlal FC over “unpaid salaries owed and his technical team” three months after joining the Iranian club.

Mosimane and his four fellow South African technical staff members are leaving the club.

“Esteemed coach Pitso Mosimane has officially parted ways with Iranian top-flight side Esteghlal FC with immediate effect due to unresolved issues regarding unpaid salaries owed to him and his technical team,” Mosimane’s agency, MT Sports Marketing & Management, said in a statement.

“The difficult decision comes after extensive efforts to address the matter.

“Despite numerous opportunities provided by MT Sports to resolve the matter — starting with initial discussions with the former CEO of the club last year, followed by a formal default notice delivered on January 1 — Esteghlal FC failed to address the issue.

“In good faith, coach Pitso and the technical team extended a 15-day deadline, as per the Fifa rules, to allow the new CEO and board time to familiarise themselves with the situation and remedy the outstanding payments. However, the club did not resolve this within the deadlines they set for themselves.

“Mosimane and his technical team are owed more than two months’ salaries.

“Coach Pitso deeply appreciated the players, whose commitment and talent made every challenge worthwhile. Esteghlal FC remains a contender for the AFC Champions League, with the highlight being the draw against the star-studded Al Ahli FC in Saudi Arabia, also a former team of coach Mosimane, which he assisted in promoting back to the Saudi Pro League.

“Esteghlal FC sits 11th on the Persian Gulf Pro League log standings. In the 10 league games of the Pro League, under coach Mosimane’s leadership, the famed Iranian club lost only three league fixtures.

“They have also been able to qualify the team for the next round of the Iranian Cup.”

Mosimane joined Esteghlal on October 18 last year.

This is not the first time Mosimane has had to battle a club to secure his wages working in the Gulf region. He took his dispute with Saudi club Al Ahli, who he promoted from that country's second tier Yelo League back to the Saudi Pro League in 2022-23, to Fifa, reportedly winning about R22m in that case.

The fellow South African members of Mosimane's technical staff who are also departing Esteghlal are Maahier Davids, Musi Matlaba, Kabelo Rangoaga and Kyle Solomon.

Mosimane oversaw 16 matches at Esteghlal in all competitions.

He endured a tough start, losing his first five Persian Gulf Pro League (Iran's top flight) and AFC Champions League matches, then steadied the ship, losing once more in 11 games, though he battled for wins. Esteghlal's record in those 11 games read: WDDWWDDDDLD.

Overall, Mosimane won three, drew seven and lost six of his 16 matches in Iran.

The former Bafana Bafana, Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly (Egypt) coach arrived tasked with improving Esteghlal's 11th placing months into the 2024-25 campaign.

The league position had resulted in the departure of Mosimane's predecessor Javad Nekounam, after a second-placed finish in the previous campaign.