Pitso sings Ibenge praises

Ibenge has been at the helm of both Vita and the Democratic Republic of Congo as the head coach since 2014, guiding the DRC to a third-place finish in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, and reaching the quarterfinals in this year’s edition.

Mosimane says his counterpart’s work ethic is exemplary to him and many coaches on the continent.

“My brother Florent Ibenge, he is once coach that I really respect in Africa. All that I am doing now, he has done it before,” said Mosimane.

“I have very big respect for him and how he controls the national team of DRC and all the big stars who are playing in the English Premier League and all over the world and he is coaching the club (AS Vita).

“He manages them the same way and there is no politics to say I will play players from Vita only. He plays players from everywhere. He is a good example for us, I have high respect for him. He is an African coach at the highest level, doing well in the Africa Cup of Nations and in local football.

“Normally our African teams don’t believe in indigenous coaches, they believe in European coaches … he is unbelievable.”