Pitso Mosimane suggests broken relationship with Al Ahli bosses amid transfer approach differences

• Mosimane had a successful maiden season in Saudi Arabia
• But his future at Al Ahli now looks bleak
• He opens up about working relationship with his bosses

WHAT HAPPENED? The former Bafana Bafana coach is being linked with a move away from Al Ahli despite guiding them to promotion into the Saudi Pro League after spending a season in Division 1. After revealing that he is owed money by the club, Mosimane has unleashed other damning claims.

The 58-year-old claims his bosses imposed players on him, adding the ones they brought him didn't deliver promotion for the team.

WHAT MOSIMANE SAID: “I’m not the number one person in the team. The number one person in the team is the president. The number two person is the vice-president and I’m number three,” Mosimane said.

“I recommended the players, I gave them the players that can take us to promotion [but] they brought their own players. I saw [Nicolas] Milesi at training and [Vinicius] Amaral. I knew they were talking to him, but I suggested another player and suddenly I saw him [Amaral] in my office, and they said here is a new player, I said okay.

“But you must remember Amaral, Milesi, these players when they came, we were number one on the log.

“So, they didn’t put us there. They found us on top of the log until the last match [of the season]. The players who really contributed are Saudi [players] — Hicham [Faik], [Ryad] Boudebouz, Bastos and then we got a very good football player, [Modou] Barrow.

“The Saudis [players] have done a good job for me, and I became closer to them because these are the people who took us to number one.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Mosimane’s remarks and exposing his working conditions could signal an irreparable relationship with his Al Ahli bosses. Not being paid his salary might also frustrate Mosimane and push him through the exit door despite having a year left on his contract. He has already hinted his time in Saudi Arabia is up.

Continuing in an environment where players are imposed on him might be a huge turn-off for the ex-Mameklodi Sundowns trainer. This is a coach known for his wide scouting network and being thorough in the transfer market.

WHAT NEXT FOR MOSIMANE? After concluding the season in Saudi Arabia, Mosimane now waits to learn if he will continue with Al Ahli.