Al Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane is not afraid or daunted by facing Mamelodi Sundowns supporters and officials, he said, after he was insulted in their last CAF Champions League encounter last year.
Mosimane, in his first match against Sundowns after he joined the Egyptian giants, faced a barrage of insults and threats in Atteridgeville from the same supporters who treated him as God during his eight-year, trophy-laden tenure with the Brazilians.
Ahly knocked out Sundowns 3-1 on aggregate in the quarter-final stage in May.
“I know what happened the last time. I was there for eight years and I know that team in and out,” said “Jingles”.
“I know who organised it. I know everything, the supporters were told what to do. There are no supporters who can rally around and do something like that when there was no directive. I spent my life there, whether it comes again or it does not come again, it does not matter.
“They were swearing at us in the corridors when the players were lining up to get onto the field, they were swearing at us in my mother language and the Al Ahly players were confused. Even the Sundowns players were disappointed when the person was swearing at us. Even during the match they were swearing at me directly.
“Those are the nobodies to be swearing at us. I am more concerned about what happens on the pitch. I gave the club so much and left it in a better place. Not even at SuperSport United did I work so hard for a club. I am not worried if they come at me again, it’s okay. It is life and you move on,” added the former Bafana Bafana coach.
Mosimane explained further: “I ask myself if this is what you need to receive when you’ve done so well for the club. When you gave your life to the team. My work talks, I ask myself if I have left any footprint, or if I left a better jersey? And did the coaches who came after me found a team in good standing and ready to compete?
“I did my best. Maybe my problem is I was too honest. Even at Al Ahly, I have given them my all. So, I am not worried what is going to happen and why the fans did that. I have bigger things to worry about.”
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