Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane has quit as head coach of the recently-crowned PSL league champions.
Mosimane, who has been openly unhappy with some of the administration staff members at the Chloorkop-based multiple league champions, is reported to have cut ties with the club yesterday.
The latest saga, and the straw that broke the camel’s back is the inclusion of suspended defender Tebogo Langerman in the team sheet of players that took to the field in the Nedbank Cup final match against Bloemfontein Celtic three weeks ago.
It’s been reported today that Mosimane tendered his resignation to pave the way to take up a job with one of the top clubs in north Africa.
Mosimane has been linked with a lucrative job with African football giants Al Ahly of Egypt as well as Sundowns bitter rivals in the CAF Champions League Wydad Casablanca of Morocco.
There have been murmurs doing the rounds for some time now that Mosimane was likely to leave the job to coach Al Ahly.
Jingles, as Mosimane is popularly known, leaves a salary of close to a R1-million after renewing his contract with the Brazilians about five months ago.
It is still unclear whether Mosimane will be leaving with his assistants Manqoba Mngqithi and Rhulani Mokwena, who are likely to coach the former African Champions League winners when he leaves.
Following the Langerman saga, Sundowns boss and mining mogul Patrice Motsepe issued a statement that he had no option but to sanction some of the members of the Downs technical staff for their embarrassing inclusion of the suspended Langerman in the team sheet.
Motsepe said he takes full responsibility for Langerman’s inclusion in the match day team list following a protest by Celtic since the player was sitting on four yellow cards before the cup final.
“I would like to apologise to all the supporters, and members of the Mamelodi Sundowns Family, as well as the organisations that are involved in football and all the people who love and follow football in South Africa and on the rest of the African Continent, for Tebogo Langerman being listed as a substitute during the recent Nedbank Cup final, contrary to the rules of the PSL and SAFA,” Motsepe said in a statement.
“In my capacity as President of Mamelodi Sundowns I am responsible and accountable for everything that happens at Mamelodi Sundowns; whether I knew or did not know or was not aware or involved in the matter.
“Our preliminary investigation indicates that the Management and Technical Team were grossly negligent and this behaviour and conduct is totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
“A formal disciplinary hearing will be held as soon as possible and the appropriate action, including dismissal where the circumstances legally justify, will be implemented,” concluded the statement.
