Pitso Mosimane reacts to his omission from CAF Award final shortlist
Celebrated South African coach Pitso Mosimane has reacted to his omission from the final three-member shortlist for the 2022 CAF Coach of the Year Award.
The former Al Ahly mentor admitted that he should have done better in terms of winning silverware this year if he were to be the favourite for the continental award.
“Honestly, I should do better. I can’t expect to be bronze (FIFA Club World Cup), silver (CAF CL) medalist and win. But my daughter already gave me an award for winning the same FIFA bronze & CAF Super Cup & Champions League (2x in a row Nogal) in the absence of Caf awards,” he tweeted @TheRealPitso.
Now that he is out of the running for the prestigious award, the former Bafana Bafana boss said he was rallying behind Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis, who has made the final cut for the women’s Coach of the Year Award category.
“As long Desiree Ellis collects her Award, she represents all of us in SA,” Mosimane added.
The 57-year-old was reacting to a tweet from media influencer @MickyJnr__16h, asking fans what they felt about the coach’s omission from the final shortlist.
“Really sad to see Pitso Mosimane 🇿🇦 didn’t make the final cut for the CAF Coach of the Year Award. Thoughts on everyone?” @MickyJnr__16h tweeted.
The coach led Al Ahly to the 2022 CAF Champions League final, in which they lost 2-0 to Wydad Athletic before he resigned two weeks later.
Nonetheless, he has achieved a lot in his career. Mosimane steered Mamelodi Sundowns to their first-ever CAF Champions League trophy in 2016.
He then won it back-to-back with Al Ahly in close to three seasons he spent in Egypt.
Mosimane is undoubtedly among the best elite football coaches South Africa has ever produced, owing to his success domestically and on the continent, with his exploits dating back to his days with SuperSport United.
The award winners will be unveiled on Thursday, July 21 2022, in Morocco on the sidelines of the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations action.
On Wednesday, CAF announced the finalists, with Senegal’s 2021 AFCON-winning mentor Aliou Cisse set to compete for the award alongside Carlos Quieroz (ex-Egypt coach) and Walid Regragui of Wydad Athletic.
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