All hail Pitso Mosimane, officially the best coach the PSL has ever seen

Back in 2012, when Pitso Mosimane was unceremoniously sacked as Bafana Bafana head coach in Phokeng, it would have taken a brave man or woman to predict that just eight years or so later he would be standing tall as the most successful club coach in the 24-year history of the Premier Soccer League.

A fifth Absa Premiership title with Masandawana in seven seasons, sealed on Saturday as Sundowns beat Black Leopards and Kaizer Chiefs were held by Baroka FC, elevated Mosimane above the rest in the record books.

He is the only coach since the PSL started in 1996 to have won five league titles, a quite magnificent achievement on its own, and even more impressive if you take into account that he has also won the Caf Champions League, with Sundowns in 2016, and every domestic knockout trophy on offer to boot (he has never won the MTN8 with Sundowns, but he did with SuperSport United way back in 2004).

Say what you like about Patrice Motsepe’s millions, and the fact that Sundowns are the best-resourced team in the country, this is a magnificent achievement, from a man who is blazing a trail for other black South African coaches in the local game.

It is a little bit simplistic, not to mention mildly xenophobic, to say local coaches should always be given a chance ahead of foreigners at Absa Premiership clubs. There are plenty of coaches, like Ted Dumitru, Stuart Baxter and Ruud Krol, who have come to these shores and had great success in the South African top flight, and made great contributions to the game here.

But it is also true that a lot of coaches come here from overseas that do not make the grade, and that do perhaps stand on the toes of more worthy local applicants. Mosimane is a shining example that local can be more than lekker, and has built a Sundowns side that is a constant powerhouse, not just at home, but also on the continent.

It is a mark of how respected the Sundowns head coach is on the continent that Cairo giants Al Ahly were moved to congratulate his team immediately after Saturday’s win, and Mosimane is so well-regarded in Egypt, where his side beat Zamalek to win the Champions League, that he was employed as an analyst on Egyptian television during the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

The only reason for Mosimane to leave Sundowns, indeed, would surely be if he wanted to test his acumen elsewhere on the continent, and it was frankly a little absurd that Sundowns took so long to agree new contract this season with their long-serving coach.

Back when he was head coach of Bafana, Mosimane accused me of writing with a “pen of steel”, as I was very critical of his side’s displays when they failed to qualify for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, and then had a poor start to qualification for the 2014 Fifa World Cup, which ultimately led to his sacking.

Perhaps I could have been kinder, but then things have turned out pretty well for Mr Mosimane, and right now I doubt the South African Football Association could afford to hire him back, even if they wanted him, and he wanted them!

The Mamelodi Sundowns head coach is likely to build even more of a powerful dynasty at Choorklop going forward, with the side set to dominate the transfer market with increased intensity following the destruction caused by COVID-19, with many clubs unable to not only buy players, but also to keep their best players, if a substantial transfer fee is made available.

Heck, Bidvest Wits weren’t even able to keep their club in existence.

I fully expect Sundowns to make it four in a row next season, unless Orlando Pirates can come to the party. Kaizer Chiefs, I think, have blown a massive opportunity, and it could be another five years before they compete again.

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