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JOHANNESBURG. — It makes sense that Pitso Mosimane should be a little conflicted as he anticipates the CAF Champions League final on July 17.
How can he not be when he is on a mission to break the hearts of his fellow countrymen?
As coach of African superpower Al Ahly, Mosimane is tasked with delivering the 10th title for the Egyptian giants.
But, the fact that he has to do it against a team from South Africa complicates things a wee bit.
“There’s a little bit of a conflict,” Mosimane said on Wednesday as he looked ahead to the clash with Kaizer Chiefs in an interview with members of the South African Football Journalists Association.
“I am a South African playing against my home team, a team I supported when I grew up.”
But, he’s a thorough professional, this record Premiership winning coach, and his allegiance is to his employers notwithstanding.
“At this time, it is about me, my family and my team. They come first.”
He has been in the game long enough to have faced similar situations and there’s no way he will allow sentimental attachments to cloud his judgement at the Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca, Morocco.
“I think it was the same thing when I coached (Mamelodi) Sundowns and we played against SuperSport United who gave me a crack to be a coach,” he said of his experience at handling such matters.
As it is, it won’t be the first time he faces a South African team with Al Ahly, Mosimane having gotten the better of his former team Sundowns in the round of 16.
For driven men such as Mosimane, the desire for success always surpasses any emotional attachments.
“It’s either I want to give the (winners’) medal to (Chiefs coach Stuart) Baxter or I want to keep it, and I think you all know the answer to that,” Mosimane chuckled.
— IOL Sport.
Online Reporter