Pitso Mosimane has been linked with a shock exit from Saudi Arabian giants Al Ahli Saudi FC, despite leading them back into the Pro League with four games to spare.
The club, which is one of the four founding members of the Saudi Pro League and considered as one of the most successful clubs in the country, were relegated for the first time in its history last season.
But Mosimane guided them back into the Pro League and had targets of leading them back into the Asian Champions League, but the latest reports in Saudi media state that the club’s leadership will look to appoint another coach.
🇿🇦 𝗛𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗬-𝗠𝗔𝗞𝗘𝗥, 𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗥𝗗-𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗘𝗥
✅ wrote history in South Africa ✅ wrote history in Egypt ✅ wrote history in Saudi Arabia
According to Goal Arabic, Al Ahli’s President Walid Moaz has decided to “betray” the South African coach. It is claimed that Mosimane only had a one-year contract, which expires by the end of the current campaign, and the Ahli leadership opted against renewing it.
Several high-profile names have been linked as Mosimane’s successor already, including Fulham coach Marco Silva, as well as former Al Hilal coach Razvan Lucescu, who won the treble with Al Ahli’s rivals Al Hilal in 2019/20, guiding them to Saudi Pro league title, the Saudi King Cup and the AFC Champions League.
A source close to Ahli stated the club also made contact with the representatives of Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri and described the hierarchy as ‘unpredictable’.
“What I know of, the lawyer of Allegri was contacted by the club, Ahli and trying to bring Allegri to Saudi Arabia and Al Nassr are also interested in him,” he told iDiski Times.
“But it’s not certain Ahli will look for a new coach, they did speak [Vladimir] Petković too but we don’t know… really this club is so unpredictable.
“They can last minute say we will keep [Pitso Mosimane] and in the next hour they will say we’re taking a European coach, it’s bizarre what’s happening, but it is what it is you know.”
Mosimane himself spoke to Thabiso Mosia on Radio 2000 on Thursday, but when asked about his future, he directed the question to his agent Moira Tlhagale, who remained coy.
“I think South Africa knows that normally we wake up and then there is an action, so let’s not spoil the surprise. Let’s leave it at that, we’re still cooking some stuff,” she said.
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When quizzed by Mosia whether the “cooking” will happen in Saudi Arabia, Tlhagale responded: “Where ever. [The] Mission has been accomplished but where to from here?
