Al Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane has again come out hard on the Confederation of African Football. He’s accused CAF President, Patrice Motsepe, of deliberately denying him the opportunity to win a third successive Champions League title. His comments followed Al Ahly’s defeat to Moroccan side Wydad Casablanca in the final. The fact that the final was played in Morocco handed Wydad the advantage before a ball was kicked.
After a relatively successful Champions League campaign, Mosimane could not accept the silver medal after the defeat to Wydad.
He says he gave it to a boy ball while he also supported his player to remove their medals during the ceremony.
It was not just the defeat that led to that reaction.
He strongly believes the outcome of the final was orchestrated to deny his team a third successive CAF Champions League gold medal.
“Where was the final? Where did the CAF President put the final and when was that decision made? So you can’t tell not to tell my players the medal and the dice is loaded against us,” says the South African tactician.
The former African coach of the year also reflected on the decisions taken to stage the recent Africa Cup of Nations final between Egypt and Senegal in Cameroon.
The final took place on the same day Al Ahly kicked off their Fifa Club World Cup campaign, with the bulk of Mosimane’s players with the national team.
“When we went to the world cup, CAF put the AFCON final on the day I played and the took 11 of my players and they do it again!” says Mosimane.
Mosimane says this was a personal attack on him. “It’s about me. It’s not about Al Ahly. That’s the truth and you might not talk about it you know me- open and direct.”
While he was critical of CAF, he also had to bear the brunt of the Egyptian media despite his achievements. But that hasn’t affected him as much.
Mosimane has been with the African giants for just over 18 months and has lifted sevens titles in 94 matches played.
“Every week I have been fired and that team was established in 1907. I’m the second longest coach in that team,” says Mosimane.
