Pitso Mosimane pointed the finger firmly at someone inside the offices of Mamelodi Sundowns football club after supporters accosted the Al Ahly team bus ahead of their Caf Champions League quarterfinal win over Masadawana at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday.
Mosimane’s wife, Moira Mosimane, put out a video of the bus being aggressively stopped by a group of Sundowns fans, holding placards like “F**k off Pitso’ and shouting insults at Mosimane’s mother.
“I was a bit emotional only when I saw the placards outside and they stopped the bus,” said Mosimane on his return to club where he spent seven and a half trophy-laden seasons. Ahly drew 1-1 with Sundowns to progress to the Champions League semifinals 3-1 on aggregate, but ‘Jingles’ was understandably distracted by what had happened ahead of the game in Atteridgeville.
“I was a bit emotional only when I saw the placards outside and people stopped the bus,” said Mosimane.
“People were swearing at me and at my mother. I said to myself ‘what else should I have done for this team to get their respect?’. But this is football, I understand, and I know the person who did this, who is behind it. They are just bitter, I had to move on with my life.”
Mosimane went on to say that the abuse started long before Saturday’s game.
“The thins I received before the match from South Africa, I can show you my phone, I have received emails, they don’t want to let me go. This is not from supporters, they come from the main office (at Sundowns). And only one person can allow that, for these emails to come. That I will save for me book. (For now) I will let bygones be bygones and move on. I left a very good (Sundowns) team for the coaches to inherit, the best team they have ever had. I thought I left in peace. But I am not at peace.”
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