What have foreign coaches won, asks Pitso
Pitso Mosimane is by far the loudest cheerleader of local-born coaches and he was left very much disappointed at the sacking of Benni McCarthy from Cape Town City some two weeks ago.
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane (Photo by Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images)
City said McCarthy was released because of a string of poor results. Mosimane feels that the former Bafana Bafana striker should have been given a bit more time to turn things around.
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“It is unbelievable, it is sad,” said Mosimane. “And I never saw it coming. I never thought Benni would take coaching this serious and he really came on and took it to another level. Of course they were not winning a lot of games this season but they were playing well,” he added.
He said McCarthy has achieved in two years of coaching what many have failed on for over 10 years. “The guy has only been coaching for two years and he has already won a cup. There are coaches in this country who have been coaching for more than 10 years and they have not won a cup,” said Mosimane.
While his comments may not have meant it, but they were a jab at the likes of Cavin Johnson and Steve Komphela who are yet to win trophies. But Mosimane was to later question their firing from AmaZulu and Kaizer Chiefs.
“The guy won a cup, so give him a chance. But I only talk on the side of the coaches because the team owners will say they have not won in the last seven games but when you look, they did not lose seven games, maybe they drew three or four,” added Mosimane.
McCarthy was replaced by a foreign coach in Jan Riekerink, much like Cavin Johnson and Steve Komphela were replaced by outsiders in Jozef Vukusic and Giovanni Solinas when they were sacked at AmaZulu and Chiefs.
“Jingles” is clearly unhappy with the influx of foreign coaches, questioning what most of them have achieved to guarantee them jobs here.
“I always like to speak for local coaches because I believe local coaches have done it and they can do it. Gavin Hunt has shown that he can do it. I was very angry when Clinton Larsen was fired. I was not happy when Cavin Johnson was fired, and what has happened (since he left)? Is there a big difference? No, not really.
“We as South Africans don’t get the jobs when we go abroad. They don’t take us. I can’t go to Germany, they won’t take me. Our guys need to be given enough time and even those (foreign coaches) who are here, how many years have they been here and what have they won? Steve Komphela was let released from the job at Chiefs after he had finished third. Where did Chiefs finish (after he left)? If you give a local coach enough time, they will turn it around. I was given chances and I have won everything in Africa,” said Mosimane.
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