It’s evident that when top notch African football clubs and national teams are looking for good quality coaches, they look outside the continent. Mostly because foreign coaches are perceived to have better chances of taking their respective teams to the promised land of winning trophies.
However, the hiring of South African coach Pitso Mosimane by Al Ahly, which is one of Africas’ all time best footballing clubs, is evident that even native Afro bred coaches have the quality . Mosimane becomes the first non Egyptian African coach in their over 113 years history.
The African football giants announced the hiring of their new head coach on Thursday 1st October 2020, a landmark decision that tells the doubting Thomases that a new self belief and confidence structure is gaining momentum.
According to the Confederation of African Football – CAF ‘the eight-time (8X) African champions parted ways with Swiss coach Rene Weiler who took over the club for a little over one year due to organizational reasons, the club mentioned in a statement’.
Mosimane (56), started his coaching career in 2001. He had spells with Supersport United and South Africa national team, before taking on Mamelodi Sundowns job in 2012. He has been a successful coach and manager having led The Brazilians to five titles in South African Premier League, two Nedbank Cup titles and two more in Telkom Cup.
He also guided Sundowns to their maiden CAF Champions League glory in 2016, adding the CAF Super Cup title a year later. He was named CAF Coach of the Year in 2016.
In Zambia, there is also currently about two coaches with strong international pedigree. Former Zesco United Coach George Lwandamina and former Baloka warrior coach Wedson Nyirenda. These two have also taken charge of the Zambia national team – Chipolopolo and went outside their home countries and successfully managed big sides.
