MT Sports MD Moira Tlhagale has opened up about where Abha FC coach Pitso Mosimane is likely to end up when his four-month contract expires at the end of the Saudi Pro League season.
Speaking at the Pitso Mosimane Soccer Schools trials in Mamelodi on Sunday, Tlhagale confirmed that MT Sports has already started talking with interested parties.
“Because we know we only have four months at Abha, I have already started talking to other teams, which I cannot tell you now, but we are just starting to build opportunities if Abha does not work,” Tlhagale said.
“They wanted to make it an 18-month contract, but for us, it was just that. From my side in the negotiations, we were not happy with next year’s amount, understanding what the market is about.
“So, we then agreed that we’ll help them for the next four months, and if there is interest and the coach saves them [from relegation], and we agree on the negotiations of the second part [of the deal], yes. If we don’t agree, then he moves on to other opportunities.
“If mutually we agree, yes, there is an opportunity [to continue as Abha coach], and we have left that door open.”
Pitso wants to remain in the Gulf
Tlhagale continued by outlining the directive that Mosimane and his lieutenants had given, which was to remain in the Gulf during the upcoming season.
“The coach was very clear that he wants to be with the big boys in Saudi Arabia. “I mean, I think we all know that the Saudi league has now grown, it’s got big, big players that they’ve brought in.
“I saw in one of their recent matches, one of the articles had something like ‘coach Pitso’s team of whatever million dollars was playing against a team of whatever billion dollars’.
“So, yeah, he is quite excited to be in that space. They are a very difficult team, and it was very brave of them to take a team that’s in the relegation zone with the intention to help save their status.”
Since taking over at Abha in February, Mosimane has registered two wins, two defeats and one draw in five league matches.
Abha’s next outing will be against Al-Riyadh on Saturday night, who are also languishing in the bottom half of the log standings and three points away from relegation.
