Since rumours of Mosimane potentially succeeding Hugo Broos started circulating, and even after his official appointment, opinions from supporters, former players and legends have been mixed.
Some of those opinions, in my view, have been completely unwarranted.
Someone will probably say the same about my opinion, but that’s the beautiful thing about football; it is a game of opinions.
Being a coach is one of the most difficult jobs in football. When results don’t go as expected, the coach is usually the first person under scrutiny. It becomes even more difficult when some of the very people who should be supporting you are already questioning you, especially when you have only just started a new and daunting journey as a national team coach.
What surprises me most is that many negative opinions about coach Pitso seem to be based on his first stint as Bafana Bafana coach 14 years ago.
Fourteen years is a long time. A lot has changed since then, including the coach himself.
In those 14 years, coach Pitso went on to establish himself as one of the most successful African coaches of his generation. He took Mamelodi Sundowns from struggling domestically to continental glory, winning the club’s first CAF Champions League title and laying a foundation that his successors continue to benefit from.
He then coached Egyptian giants Al Ahly, adding even more continental success to his resume and further proving why he is regarded as one of Africa’s top coaches.
Of course, coach Pitso is Pitso. He is vocal, outspoken and never afraid to say what he thinks. Sometimes people will agree with him; sometimes they won’t. That is nothing new.
So, I’m surprised by the outrage that seems to follow whenever he says something that makes people uncomfortable.
Then there are the concerns about his coaching.
“Pitso has favourites.”
“His squad has too many Sundowns players.”
“He will play players out of position.”
“This is why he failed 14 years ago.”
Really?
We can question his selections. We can debate his tactics. We can disagree with some of his decisions. That is part of football.
But let’s at least give the man a chance.
If we are going to judge coach Pitso, let’s judge him on the job he is doing now, not simply on what happened 14 years ago.
The coach has earned the right to be given an opportunity to write another chapter with Bafana Bafana.
The point I’m trying to make is simple: we can disagree with the coach every now and then. That is natural. It is part of the game.
But let’s do it respectfully. Most importantly, let’s support him.
Coach Pitso needs to know that his people are behind him, believe in him and want him to succeed.
Because when Bafana Bafana succeed, we all celebrate. Let’s give the coach a chance to do his job.
Let’s support coach Pitso.