Please stay Pitso, I have eaten humble pie
Iwas tempted to start today’s piece with words journalist friend Linda Ximba likes to use whenever he witnesses a funny incident: “I almost fell off my chair laughing.”
He even says this when he is standing when the incident happens. I know it is an old adage, but I like teasing him about it and question why he is lying. Believe me, he says that even the said incident is not so funny that it guarantees that kind of laugh that would put your life at risk with you falling off chairs.
I was reminded of him when I heard Pitso Mosimane was considering taking a break from football to spend some time with his family because he hasn’t done so in a long while.
I laughed to myself again this week when he reiterated these words during a media conference where he was announced as the Coach-of-the-Month for April. I may not be openly funny to other people but I usually amuse myself so much that if you pay close attention you are likely to see a faint smile on my face from time to time.
As he repeated this, I thought to myself that the only thing that could separate Pitso from football is football itself – that man is not only in love with football, he is obsessed. I can bet you the cleanest pair of shoes in my cabinet
Sibongiseni Gumbi
right now – not sure if such exists though – that even when he is with his wife, 40% of the conversation is about football. That is how committed Pitso is to the game.
And please do not go through my Facebook page because you may find one of my ramblings where I was complaining about him saying he is not contributing as much as he should be to our football yet he has so much to say. If you do, you will think of me in a way no man likes to be thought of – as a hypocrite.
Maybe I should first eat the humble pie that Pitso has forced down my throat. Strangely enough I am enjoying eating it though. Well, Pitso has done a sterling job for our football in the past few years. Maybe he needed a platform as big and challenging as Mamelodi Sundowns to get the best out of him.
Pitso is churning out quality players at Sundowns, players who go and do well for Bafana and other national teams. He has an eye for great talent even if it just potential he turns it into greatness. There is still a lot we are expecting from him. Bafana are benefiting from him.
I know his family have suffered and his wife was recently hijacked and as a man, Pitso felt that maybe it would not have happened had he been home instead of at Loftus Versfeld with his players. But I hope his family also understand that this is the only thing that makes him wake up in the morning and look forward to life.
Football runs in Pitso’s veins and I would hate it if we lost him – even if it is for just a year. Oh, and Linda is a great fan of Pitso and we always fought when I questioned the man’s ability. I know he will only be too happy to read this.