This week’s column was supposed to be all about the upcoming Safa elections, but then Al Ahly and Pitso Mosimane decided to drop a bombshell on us on Monday.
The former Bafana Bafana striker decided to leave his position as head coach of Egyptian giants Al Ahly, after meeting with the club’s management board over the weekend.
These were described as “showdown talks” these past two weeks while Mosimane was here in Mzansi to announce his personal projects.
What’s really strange is that Bra Pitso signed a two-year extension earlier this year in March, but then again the mood was still very much positive as Ahly's historic CAF Champions League three-peat came crashing down against Wydad AC of Morocco.
Pressure comes with the package when you’re in charge of the Red Devils of the Two Lands, whose football history is so rich it makes them Africa’s greatest team based on continental titles.
Bra Pitso knew this when he took the job, but it was also the type of opportunity and challenge he needed at a time when he needed it following some incredible years at Mamelodi Sundowns.
Naturally, the speculations have started with the rumour mill suggesting that he might be a candidate for the heavily discussed head coach vacancy at his former club Orlando Pirates.
With former NFD Player of the Season, Fadlu Davids’ departure as the Buccaneers’ co-coach confirmed, it sure sounds like there’s something cooking behind the scenes at the Soweto giants’ offices.
Benni McCarthy was a favourite since his departure from AmaZulu was announced at the end of Q3 in March.
Pitso’s former assistant coach at Ahly, Cavin Johnson, has also been mentioned among some of the names on the list of candidates for the job.
The club hasn’t said anything official as yet about their plans, but with Davids set for a return to Maritzburg United, who surprisingly let long-serving coach Ernst Middendorp go in what looked like a move to make way for the former Vasco da Gama striker to return to the KZN club.
There’s a strong public voice that obviously wants to see Mosimane back in charge of Bafana Bafana as well.
He has admitted openly that he has “unfinished business” with Bafana, but they have a coach who has been there for just over a year at the moment; so Pitso's Bafana return might just be impossible at this moment.
With Danny Jordaan also looking likely to stay on for a third term as the head honcho in charge in the Safa office, it’s highly unlikely Mosimane would be welcomed back with open arms by the man who was the most influential member of the regime that fired him as national coach 10 years ago.
There might also be the issue of egos that come into play should Jordaan and Mosimane ever get into a discussion about anything to do with Bafana.
Mosimane is stubborn and very confident in his abilities, I’m not sure how things would go in a sit-down with Jordaan, who has flexed his power at Safa over the years.
It’s precisely the reason former Safa committee member and Safa Tshwane LFA president Solly Mohlabeng has put his name forward to take over from Jordaan this year.
Mohlabeng has served in various Safa committees over the years but has slowly been pushed out after he started to question some of the decisions made without consideration of what the Safa constitution says.
Mosimane might be a better fit for Aus' (big sis) Ria Ledwaba’s vision in her effort to unseat Jordaan at the upcoming Safa elections on June 25.
Ledwaba has surrounded herself and has been endorsed by some of the most famous and iconic former players such Doctor Khumalo, Lucas Radebe and Portia Modise to lead Safa into the new era.
Mosimane has always been a strong advocate for the involvement of former players within football structures.
But as things stand from where I’m sitting and writing right now, it looks like we might have to prepare ourselves for more of the same and the best way forward might be to simply wait out the expiration date of Bra Danny's third term and possibly even a fourth.
dailyvoice@inl.co.za