Former Al Ahly player Gomaa latest to advance Mosimane ‘luck’ theory
Former Al Ahly midfielder Saleh Gomaa has become the latest Egyptian footballer to advance the theory that Pitso Mosimane’s success with the Reds was out of sheer luck.
Gomaa’s remarks come a week after Pharco FC’s defender Ahmed Abdelazz claimed that some Al Ahly players used to undermine Mosimane because they regarded him as a mediocre coach.
In the latest case, Gomaa claimed that Mosimane’s success was not down to his brilliance but it was his predecessor Rene Weiler ,who did the groundwork.
WHAT GOMAA SAID…
“Weiler is a very good coach; he is better than Mosimane. Mosimane was luckier, but I think he is deceptive. If Weiler stayed as long as Pitso did, he could have won the same trophies,” Egyptian sports website Kingfut quoted Gomaa telling ONTime Sports.
Al Ahly hired Mosimane in October 2020 soon after the Swiss coach Weiler resigned, saying he had missed his family back home due to travel restrictions then imposed due to Covid-19.
Kingfut is quoting the midfielder Gomaa as having said this to ONTime Sports when explaining how he fared under both Mosimane and Weiler.
The player also fell out with Weiler during his stay at Al Ahly.
“When Weiler came to Al Ahly, he excluded me from the team squad and asked me to train at the gym. I said ‘no,’ and that was the start of my problem,” Gomaa said.
He then added by comparing the ex-Sundowns coach with the Swiss manager.
“I expected Sammy Komsan to be Al Ahly’s head coach after the departure of Mosimane, he is loved by everyone,” Gomaa added.
Last week, Kingfut also quoted the Pharco defender Abdelazz as having told Al Hayat TV that the Al Ahly players suggested that the South Africa won by sheer luck during his 21-month stay with the Reds.
Abdelaziz said he, therefore, supported the former Mamelodi Sundowns mentor’s decision to leave Al Ahly in June soon after the 2-0 loss to Wydad Casablanca in the CAF Champions League final.
“Some of the Al Ahly players told me Pitso Mosimane is a mediocre coach and only wins by luck. I support his decision to leave the club,” he said.
WHY IT LUCK OR BRIILANCE?
The Pharco centre-back spoke on a wide range of issues revolving around the struggles of Al Ahly even after the appointment of Ricardo Soares to replace Mosimane.
He said it was not surprising that Al Ahly struggled to perform even after the hiring of the Portuguese, adding that Al Ahly rivals Zamalek deserved to win the Egyptian Premier League.
Al Ahly finished on third place in the Premier League log table, their worst performance in the league since 1992.
The management of the Club of the Century sacked Soares last week after barely two months on the job after having managed just nine wins in 17 games across all competitions.
Al Ahly have since recruited Swiss Marcel Koller to replace Soares thereby ending rumours that had continued to link Mosimane with a return to Al Ahly.
The South African coach recently said he achieved his mission which he was hired for at the club and that he had moved on. The former SuperSport United coach is on a sabbatical.
Al Ahly president Mahmoud El-Khatib told the media recently that there was a media campaign against Mosimane despite his obvious success while in charge of the club.
The former Bafana Bafana trainer delivered the goods at Al Ahly, winning two CAF Champions League titles in three attempts plus grabbing the FIFA Club World Cup bronze medal twice in addition to domestic silverware.
PITSO WAS SUCCESS
Despite his obvious success, Mosimane became the target of criticism from some Al Ahly legends and some fans.
Some of the supporters have since been apologizing to the South African coach for having been harsh on him.
The ‘luck’ theory is not backed by evidence as Mosimane also delivered the goods at SuperSport United and Sundowns in South Africa.
The former Bafana Bafana mentor remains the only coach to have earned his last club in South Africa, Sundowns, the CAF Champions League trophy in 2016.