- Mosimane is impressed by Kom’s performances for his team
- The Cameroon midfielder has been a mainstay for Al Ahli
- Pirates & Chiefs could benefit from Kom’s quality if interested
WHAT HAPPENED? Al Ahli have won their last two matches against Saudi second division leaders Al-Faisaly and Al-Hazm to move to within three points of top spot with a game in hand.
Mosimane’s charges won 2-1 away to Al-Faisaly last weekend before beating Al-Hazm 1-0 in midweek to stay fourth on the table with 31 points from 16 matches while the leaders have 34 after playing 17.
The two wins extended Mosimane’s unbeaten run to 11 games since taking over last September, having won six while drawing five games, but the former Mamelodi Sundowns coach is not taking the credit entirely, identifying Kom as a key pillar of his team.
The defensive midfielder joined Al Ahli in 2022 and has made 11 appearances this season, scoring one goal, while playing a key part in the side who have kept five clean sheets since Mosimane took charge.
Mosimane’s praises might have alerted Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates, who are currently in the market for a defensive midfielder, having been linked with Sundowns’ 32-year-old Andile Jali as they seek to save their season.
WHAT DID HE SAY? “Franck Kom is a pillar of strength in our team at the moment,” Mosimane said about the 31-year-old via Twitter. “He recent performances in these past big games have been exceptional. How I wish he was few years younger.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Both Chiefs and Pirates have been reported to be following Jali’s contract situation at Sundowns with the player in the last six months of his deal and still no indication whether the club will offer him a new one.
The Soweto giants could well look at Kom as a possible option following Mosimane’s praises since he is at the same age as the Masandawana star and would provide what their teams are crying out for.
However, it will not be easy to snatch Kom from Al Ahli given how highly his coach rates him, added to the fact that Mosimane is keen to secure promotion to the top flight at the end of the season.
WHAT’S NEXT? Al Ahli will be out to continue their fine run when they host ninth-placed Al Jabalain on Tuesday.
