Mosimane schools: Ex-Al Ahly, Mamelodi Sundowns coach explains why it will not just be about football talent

Former Al Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane has explained why his soon-to-be-launched school will not just be about nurturing football talent.

Mosimane wants to give back in a meaningful way and will be launching a soccer schools project, the Pitso Mosimane Soccer Schools (PMSS) which will have a holistic approach to growing a player and individual both on and off the pitch.

The former Mamelodi Sundowns coach says there exist numerous opportunities in football which the school will be teaching learners about and not just playing the game.

“In the football environment, we have a doctor, physio, marketing person, lawyers and architects who can design a stadium, so football gives everybody an opportunity,” Mosimane told Johannesburg-based radio station Kaya 959 on Thursday.

“If you love football, you can specialise in whatever field you are in and that is the beauty of football. So, football offers all these opportunities, I employ physios, media, so there is an opportunity in football,” he added.

“That is why I am doing Mosimane Soccer schools, it is not just about talent, it is also about mass participation and we’re trying to teach children that this is a beautiful game. You can be a marketing officer, lawyer, doctor in football. So, love the game and there are opportunities in the game so come to football.”

Mosimane will be launching the school through his marketing and management agency, MT Sports, which is managed by his wife and agent Moira Tlhagale, with the aim of unearthing and fine-tuning the country’s rough diamonds in various professional fields.

“The Pitso Mosimane Soccer Schools are part of coach Pitso’s legacy of not only creating the player of tomorrow but also ensuring that he contributes towards football in South Africa for it to go back to the level of excellence that we know it to be, and most importantly, reaching new heights,” Tlhagale said in a statement last month.

"Key elements that form part of the PMSS programme is to ensure the employment of the right calibre of coaches, adherence to a specified development plan and ensuring the environment that the players are in is safe and encouraged to thrive."

South Africa’s most decorated coach left Egyptian giants Al Ahly this month after two years in Cairo, where he won five trophies, two Caf Champions League and as many Caf Super Cups as well as the Egyptian Cup.

Jingles, as he is fondly known as, joined Al Ahly after eight hugely successful years with Sundowns, which yielded five PSL titles, including three in a row (2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20), Caf Champions League, Caf Super Cup, and two Nedbank Cups and Telkom Knockout crowns.