It’s important that Sundowns are happy and it is important that I am happy
A matter of principle. That’s what coach Pitso Mosimane says is dragging his contractual negotiations with Mamelodi Sundowns.
Mosimane is the club’s longest serving coach, having taken over from Johan Neeskens in December 2012. In the years he has been in charge at Chloorkop he has won four PSL titles, three domestic Cups as well as the Caf Champions League and Super Cup. Mosimane’s era is the club’s most successful period in its history, not only dominating the domestic league but also the Champions League where they have reached the group stage every year since 2016. On Saturday Mosimane became the first SA coach to see his team go unbeaten in a Champions League group stage campaign when the Brazilians beat Wydad Casablanca 1-0 at Lucas Moripe Stadium to seal top spot in Group C. Tomorrow they will discover, in a draw in Cairo, whether they will face Zamalek, Al Ahly or Raja Casablanca in the quarter-finals. With all that Mosimane has achieved at Sundowns, it’s been puzzling as to why his second contractual renewal has taken so long.
“It’s about principle, not money,” Mosimane said. “Trust me, it’s not about money. I am not playing around and saying that I want money. It’s principle. It’s important that Sundowns are happy and it is important that I am happy. I can guarantee you, and you can ask them (the delay) isn’t because of money. It’s principles. There are things that are important to me, to say that you need to also leave a legacy for your children. I don’t want my children to say that he was one good coach at Mamelodi Sundowns, and it ends there.
“There are things that I have to do for myself and for my children, that my children will look back and say that these things are still ongoing when he is no longer here. If Sundowns grants me those things, we are almost there. I like Sundowns, I want to stay.
“I love the team and I have built the team, but this thing must go both ways. Sundowns are bigger, they can get any coach they want with their resources.”
