Pitso Mosimane has explained why he’s spent his vacation time with the Al Ahly development squads as talks over a new contract are underway.
Mosimane and his Ahly squad will only be in action in the league again after Christmas due to the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup being hosted in Qatar – where Egypt has reached the quarter-final stage.
And with nine of his first-team players participating in the event, he’s taken the time to cast an eye on the future prospects for the Red Devils.
“It’s my job to be here, I signed a contract, I will be with Al Ahly, I’m with Al Ahly – I’m not in the wrong place,” he told Al Ahly TV when asked why he’s opted to visit the academy.
“When we have time and there are no games, we need to come here and support. I told everyone even the president captain Bibo [Mahmoud El-Khatib] that when I have a chance I’ll come.”
Mosimane went on to laud the facilities at the Nasr City branch where he met up with Khaled Bebo, the head of the club’s youth sector, and Michal Prokeš, manager of the club’s sector before attending their training sessions.
“So here is an opportunity for me to come and I’ll be here tomorrow also. Even the pitches are good, look around, very good pitch, you know. I want to thank Khaled Bebo for accommodating me here, it’s part of my vacation.”
The three-time CAF Champions League winner was also in attendance at the youth sides’ 2-1 win over Ceramica Cleopatra among a host of games he watched over the course of the week.
“It is important to show interest in the young players. It is important to give them the opportunity to play for the first team,” Mosimane recently said on his first visit.
“You need to look at the Spanish national team giving the chance to a 17-year-old player like Gavi and we also can do that. As long as they have the quality, they can come and play with the first team. We need to try to help the youngsters.”
“My job is not to coach them; my job is to support the directors and the coaches. I have a good relationship with Khaled Bibo, the youth team’s director. We need to share knowledge and information. They can do a lot of things that we do with the first team.”
