Former SuperSport United and Orlando Pirates midfielder Dennis Masina has revealed how renowned coach Pitso Mosimane played a crucial role in helping him build a house.
Masina had two spells with SuperSport United, the first between 2002 and 2004. After stints in Belgium, including a spell at KV Mechelen, he returned to South Africa for a second stint with the Tshwane-based club.
Mosimane joined SuperSport United as an assistant coach under Bruce Grobbelaar before becoming head coach from 2001 to 2007. During this period, Masina worked closely with Mosimane and was part of the 2002/03 team that finished runners-up in the Premier Soccer League.
Masina fondly recalls the three-time CAF Champions League winner’s significant impact on his life.
WHAT DENNIS MASINA SAID ABOUT PITSO MOSIMANE
“I’m grateful to Coach Pitso Mosimane,” he told Radio 2000. “He was a coach and also a mentor to me. When I signed for SuperSport, he asked my father if we had a house, and my father said no. Coach Pitso then took my signing-on fee and gave it to a contractor to build a house back home in Swaziland. Today, we still have that house.”
He credited the former Mamelodi Sundowns coach for guiding him in financial management. The former Isihlangu star added that Mosimane advised him not to “compete with the local boys” regarding lifestyle.
“He encouraged me to make good decisions in life. He said I mustn’t try to compete with the local boys and buy nice cars. He reminded me of where I came from, and that was the best decision ever.”
This isn’t the first time a former player has credited “Jingles” for profoundly impacting their life. Gerald Modabi previously shared with FARPost how Mosimane made him return a Golf 3 GTI to a card dealer as a 19-year-old at SuperSport. The coach believed the car was too extravagant for his age.
Meanwhile, Masina also explained where the nickname ‘Yugi’ came from. “The nickname Yugi is from the name Uganda… My former coach in Swaziland, Skwaya Gwebu, named me after the country. He said I was a ‘killer’ like Idi Amin and [Yoweri] Museveni. So, people shortened Uganda to Yugi.”
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