Johannesburg- The writing has always been on the wall, and South African Al Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane knows it.
The fine imposed on him this week for losing the Egyptian Super Cup to lowly Tala’ea El Gaish must be something Mosimane should have expected as his club president and boss Mahmoud El Khatib is not a man tolerant of mediocrity, despite the number of trophies won in the past – he does not give a hoot.
El Khatib, affectionately known as “Bibo”, is livid after Mosimane and his Red Devils players failed to win their sixth title with the former Mamelodi Sundowns coach at the helm.
Mosimane, 57, successfully defended the CAF Champions League title following a 3-0 drubbing of Kaizer Chiefs in the final two months ago, won the CAF Super Cup, the Egyptian Cup and the Premier League, although the league had already been secured when he arrived towards the end of last season.
The Super Cup is contested by the league champions of the previous season and the holders of the Egyptian Cup but as Al-Ahly were holders of both titles, El-Gaish, the runners-up of last season’s Egypt Cup met and beat Mosimane’s boys 3-2 on penalties on Tuesday. “Jingles”, as Mosimane is popularly known, received the end of the stick from his no-nonsense club boss when he was slapped with a fine of 300 000 Egyptian pounds (R280 000) each, together with his players and technical staff after their defeat in the final.
By South African and continental standards, that could be construed as ruthlessly harsh to the much-decorated Mosimane after the Egyptian football powerhouse and favourites succumbed to the unfathomable El-Gaish, a side that barely made it into the league’s top eight, finishing in eighth place last season.
El Khatib, a former El Nasr and Al Ahly striker turned businessman, described his club’s loss as a “disappointing performance”, coming against the backdrop of the setback of losing the league title to bitter rivals Zamalek last month.
No doubt, Mosimane knows it, he once admitted to being on the edge and not in a comfort zone at Al Ahly.
The loss has put him under immense pressure to deliver the next major trophy at the feet of the club head honcho’s feet or he is a gonner as El Khatib is notorious for pulling the trigger if the coach does not deliver to his satisfaction.
Nothing gives the Egyptian multi-millionaire pleasure than witnessing his investment giving him the gratitude of winning silverware, especially major continental and domestic trophies. Like a ticking time bomb, Mosimane is aware that his days at the north African club are numbered, that is if he does not deliver, at the least the league title, in order to convince Bibo he is a coach worth his salt.
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