Mosimane dismisses Arsenal rumours, sheds light on Wenger meeting

• Mosimane says meeting touched on soccer development
• Happy Fifa recognized his tactical and technical approach
• Mosimane has confidence in South Africa's soccer potential

WHAT HAPPENED? Mosimane and Wenger met earlier in the year, and the former Al Ahly head coach has now revealed what they discussed.

The Caf Champions League-winning tactician was categorical that their meeting revolved around football development and had nothing to do with Wenger’s former club.

WHAT HAS BEEN SAID: "Arsene Wenger, who is the head of football development in the world at Fifa, had an opportunity to sit with him, and you think I wanted to talk to Arsene about how Arsenal were winning? No," Mosimane said.

"I was talking to Arsene about the football education, how do we develop football in the world? He is in charge of football development in the world. He’s in Qatar, I met him in Abu Dhabi.

"I think you’ve seen that the latest that Fifa has put on the programme.

"They put my philosophy of how I play in the Fifa [Club] World Cup against the champions of Asia (Al Hilal). A team in Saudi Arabia that has about nine players of Saudi Arabia on the pitch when we played against them with Al Ahly, and they dismantled my tactical and technical approach to the game and put it out.

"Thanks to God, it got all the big ticks, so we’ve the potential in South Africa. When Fifa accredits us at the World Cup, no higher level than that, I think we have the potential to do well.

"We should never doubt ourselves. We have the capacity in South Africa in terms of education. I’ve researched, I’m here in Saudi Arabia, I’ve traveled the world. We have proper academic structures [in South Africa].

"We have a long way to go, but we don’t know how big we are in South Africa if we do things right and proper. I understand global football, and I’m in that space."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Apart from his full-time coaching job, the former Mamelodi Sundowns mentor is involved in football development projects at the junior levels.

He has initiated the Pitso Mosimane Soccer Schools (PMSS), whose core aim is to nurture talents between the ages of six and 18.

The soccer school also hopes to help the players become technically, intellectually, and socially equipped to succeed in the professional football world.

WHAT NEXT FOR MOSIMANE? The South African will return to his club duties on December 15, when Al Ahli will take on Al Ain in a Division One meeting.

Before the break, Mosimane had guided the Saudi outfit to two successive victories as he aims to help them get promoted to the top tier.