Daily Dispatch

Mosimane place at Al Ahly confirmed

- MARC STRYDOM

Former Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane‚ who resigned in a bombshell announceme­nt on Wednesday‚ has posted a video on Instagram of himself and his family leaving to join his new internatio­nal club‚ Al Ahly.

Mosimane makes history as the first black African to coach the most successful club in Africa.

He replaces Swiss coach Rene Weiler ‚ whose contract has been terminated.

Al Ahly said on their website on Thursday: “The club’s board of directors decided in its meeting today ‚ Thursday ‚ headed by president Mahmoud El Khatib‚ to approve what was mentioned in the memorandum submitted by the planning committee in co-ordination with the general supervisor of football‚ which included:

One — terminatio­n of the contractua­l relationsh­ip with Mr Rene Weiler‚ coach of the first football team‚ in accordance with the terms of his contract with the club due to the difficulty of achieving his urgent demands‚ which were not included in the contract clauses and contradict the interest and stability of the team at this important stage‚ as well as the players’ need to focus and prepare for the next stage.

“Two — a contract with Mr Pitso Mosimane‚ South African technical director of the first football team‚ as of tomorrow [Friday] for a period of two seasons‚ with his technical staff‚ which includes a general coach‚ a physical trainer and a performanc­e analyst.

“Also joining is Sami Shirts as assistant coach‚ Belgian Michel Yancon as goalkeeper-coach‚ who were kept on; and Sayed Abdel Hafeez continues as director of football.”

Mosimane steered Sundowns to their first Champions League victory — beating Ahly’s bitter Cairo foes Zamalek in the final — in 2016.

He also won five league titles in his seven years with the Brazilians.

His announceme­nt on Wednesday of his resignatio­n from Downs came as a bombshell in South African football.

It came weeks after Mosimane wrapped up a treble in 2019-20‚ including Sundowns’s 10th Premiershi­p title‚ and months after he and club president Patrice Motsepe announced the coach’s new three-year contract in a televised press conference in May.

Al Ahly‚ formed in 1907‚ have won a record eight Caf Champions League titles. The 113year-old Egyptian giants have won their country’s league title 42 times.

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