Pitso wants PSL referees to step up

Masandawana have been met with hostile environments in their Caf Champions League endeavours, most notably when a match was momentarily halted in the Democratic Republic of Congo last year against ES Setif, whose supporters stormed into the pitch in frustration of their team’s short-comings.

The defending champions have already left for Morocco where they will face Wydad Casablanca on Saturday in the return leg of the quarterfinal as they carry a slender 1-0 win.

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Based on his experience on continental football tracing back to his spells as Bafana Bafana assistant and head coach, “Jingles” is expecting the North Africans to deploy ‘un-sportsman-like’ antics to frustrate them.

However, if there is one man that the African Coach-of-the-Year relies on to manage a match well, it is Africa’ No.1 referee Bakary Gassama of Gambia who took charge of last season second-leg final against Zamalek in Alexandria.

“I hope Gassama can take the game and manage it. He tells them straight on their face, one-on-one. He is a top referee. He doesn’t get intimidated. You saw how he handled the Zamalek game and Algeria against Zambia,” said Mosimane.

“Our guys should be able to go to that standard and that level. We all have to improve as coaches, we have to be in the Champions League final and semi-final.

“For our local referees, it is not only about the PSL, let’s get someone in the semi-final there. Daniel Bennett has done it. And I see that Victor Gomes is calmer in Africa. He is very good … he doesn’t get excited, he doesn’t cause trouble. In a fully packed stadium, he comes in nice and goes out nice. But here he is too hyper.”

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