Al-Ahli the 'perfect project' for turn-around specialist Pitso Mosimane

After three months since his exit from African football giants Al Ahly, Pitso Mosimane has landed a new job as head coach at Saudi Arabia First Division club Al-Ahli Saudi.

SABC Sport has learnt that South Africa's most successful coach has signed a two-year deal with the Jeddah giants.

Mosimane, a three-time African champion and former Bafana Bafana and Mamelodi Sundowns head coach, is taking this new and challenging job at Ahli, to also continue with his journey of transforming ailing clubs and restore their legendary status, as he had always done since his first head coaching job at SuperSport United according to his management team at MT Sports.

SABC Sport understands that Mosimane had fielded a number pf head coaching job offers from around the continent and also in the Gulf region in the past three months.

Having weighed all of them out, Mosimane and his management team decided that the Al-Ahli option was the best of the lot.

One of the most successful clubs in Saudi Arabia, Al-Ahli were relegated from the Saudi Pro League at the end of last season for the first time in their history. They are currently celebrating their 85th anniversary just like local giants Orlando Pirates, making them the second oldest club in that country.

They are also a member of Saudi Arabia's "Big Four" which includes Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad and Al-Nassir, a club that Mosimane was previously said to be in the verge of joining.

Ahli, who are also known as Al Malaki (The Royal) have won three Saudi Pro League titles, the last of which they captured in the 2015-16 season.

The management team of Mosimane at MT Sports is that the coach and his technical team wull be able to return the glory days to one of Jeddah™s most loved and respected clubs.

As he did when he went to Al Ahly, Mosimane will work with psychical conditioner Kabelo Rangoaga and match performance analysts Musi Matlaba and Kyle Solomons.

œWith Coach Pitso Mosimane™s experience and his track record of being the football coach turn-around strategist, the CAF Pro License coaching graduate and one of the most successful African coaches, is more than suitable for this role.

œThe opportunity to lead such a prestigious club in Saudi Arabia presents itself as the perfect project to yield win-win result for both parties, commented MT Sports Managing Director Moira Tlhagale.

Having found both SuperSport United and Sundowns, the only two clubs Mosimane had coached in the PSL, in precarious positions, the 58year-old and his management team are confident that at Ahli, he would continue with his track record of changing the fortunes of the club. After all, he had turned down some big teams in the past few months as he was waiting for the right project, which has duly arrived.

œHaving left Al Ahly SC three months ago, we had received numerous offers from clubs and national teams around the world for the services of coach Pitso and his dream team. However, the mandate that MT Sports received from the coaches was to only take on an interesting and challenging project that will enable them to have impact in turning a team into champions, added Tlhagale.

Having established himself in the Arab world, with his recent success at Ahly where he won two CAF Champions League titles, CAF Super Cup titles and back-to-back FIFA Club World Cup Bronze medals and ending a seven year long wait to win their ninth continental title, Mosimane and his management team are confident that they can return Al-Ahli to the Pro League and also reclaim their place amongst the top four teams in Saudi.

Currently, Al-Ahli are seventh on the log, with eight points from five matches, just four points adrift of log leaders Al Akhdoud.

By Velile Mnyandu