Pitso fuming over the PSL Coach of the Season award

Comments by analyst get Mosimane hot under the collar

● The questions about who best qualifies to be rewarded with the Absa Premiership Coach of the Season award in the current campaign has stimulated some fierce debate, but the man in charge of those who will be making the decision says there’s no need for anxiety among those in the run-in.

Football analyst and coach Farouk Khan, who is the convener of the judging panel for this award and others, said the criteria for the award are very clear.

“The winner of the league will always be the frontrunner irrespective of whether he is the coach of a rich or poorly equipped club,” Khan told the Sunday Times this week.

Debate about the award reached fever pitch when Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane questioned Khan’s stance on the matter after he made some comments regarding the award in a weekly television show recently.

Mosimane, whose club is currently on top of the log with six matches to go, didn’t take kindly to suggestions that some PSL coaches — such as Fadlu Davids of Maritzburg United and Luc Eymael of Free State Stars — who have done well this season despite having limited resources at their respective clubs, should be considered for the award.

“My challenge is why should people campaign,” said Mosimane of Khan’s comments during the show.

“Farouk is on the panel and why is he backing the debate of other people?

“He’s conflicted then, because he’s already agreed with his co-panellists who raised Fadlu and Eymael’s names on the TV show.”

But Khan, who doesn’t have a vote on the award, dismissed Mosimane’s accusation, saying he never backed anyone for the award.

“I’m actually on Mosimane’s side on this one because I said the frontrunner will always be the coach who wins the league,” said Khan.

“If Sundowns win the league, Mosimane knows he will stand a good chance to win the award — more than anyone. The quote that he’s attributing to me is totally wrong, maybe he wasn’t watching the same show.”

Besides the sparring between the two over the award, the debate about the Coach of the Season and the league race is set to go down to the wire, with Orlando Pirates coach Milutin Sredojevic likely to be the biggest challenger to Mosimane.

The Serbian-born Bucs coach became the first mentor to win the Coach of the Month award twice this season after winning it for March.

Sredojevic previously won the same accolade in January while Mosimane, Clinton Larsen of Golden Arrows, Veselin Jelusic of Bloemfontein Celtic, Gavin Hunt of Bidvest Wits and former Chippa United coach Tebogo Moloi won it in the other months.

With Pirates currently enjoying a fivematch winning streak, the fight for the league title is slowly but surely becoming a two-horse race.

For Sundowns to keep their lead over Pirates they will have to pick up maximum points against Baroka FC in Polokwane today, while Pirates lie in wait until they pay SuperSport United a visit at the Mbombela Stadium in Mpumalanga on Wednesday.

Sredojevic continued to downplay Bucs’ challenge for the league title this week, saying it is still Sundowns — leading the charge with one point and with a game in hand — “who are absolute favourites”.

“We are looking at getting the results and whatever it brings at the end of the season, let it bring for us,” Sredojevic said this week.

Sredojevic has also avoided the debate on the Coach of the Season award, but his combination with Rulani Mokwena in the dugout has been splendid and the Serbian could be the one rewarded if his charges win the league title.

I said the frontrunner will be the coach who wins the league

Farouk Khan Football coach