Whenever these two big brands clash, the whole African continent stands still and it becomes the biggest game. There are a number of different subplots that make this a game not to miss for anyone, but the biggest, outside of the bragging rights and dominance, is the presence of the one coach who has clearly created a monster in Sundowns that he now finds challenging him at every opportunity. Affectionately known as “Jingles”, Mosimane changed the Brazilians’ fortunes in the time he spent at the club. He succeeded where several big-name coaches who were raking millions from the billionaire-owned club failed, dismally, to turn the star-studded team into a dominant force both domestically and continentally. These are the two non-negotiable pillars of the founding manifesto of the club president, Patrice Motsepe, after taking over the full ownership of the club. It took Mosimane’s appointment, notwithstanding doubting Thomases – as some thought he’d bit more than he could chew, considering the well-documented failures of his predecessors – to realise the president’s dream.
Jingles now continues to raise the South African flag in the coaching fraternity after laying a solid foundation at Sundowns. We now see the Three Wise Men (Manqoba Mngqithi, Rhulani Mokwena and Steve Komphela) continuing where he left off, dominating the local football scene and making a mark in the continent. Sundowns has never been the same since Mosimane, aptly assisted by Manqoba and Rhulani, walked through the gates of the club’s Chloorkop-based headquarters. In fact, South African football has not been the same. Mosimane’s departure was seen as a backward step, but credit to Mngqithi and Mokwena, who continued from where they’d left off and even recruited Komphela to join them. Since then, even the biggest fixture in the domestic league, the Soweto Derby, has been reduced to an insignificant clash between two hopeless teams who’ve become so allergic to silverware you’d swear they’re getting paid just not to win anything. Sundowns continue to eat away, slowly but surely, from these two Soweto giants as they literally and figuratively take over South African football.
With their tactical and technical know-how, the Three Wise Men have transcended the local game and are making a strong case for themselves in the continent. They’ve now taken their rivalry with Ahly a notch up because everyone is now looking forward to these two huge institutions coming up against each other. In fact, a CAF Champions League final between Sundowns and Ahly is surely something this continent, especially South Africa, could marvel at and that dream final isn’t far-fetched at all. Kaizer Chiefs did it, against heavy odds stacked against them, but Sundowns v Ahly would be something completely different. This is a ‘continental derby’ and nothing else matters when these two teams collide. This is another feather in the cap on South African coaching excellence because the four coaches (Mokwena, Komphela, Mngqithi and Mosimane) involved with these two teams are all locals who know everything about our game and our players. Not much is made out of this excellence and therefore one feels these coaches are not celebrated enough. They have completely changed the narrative and continue to push the envelope. The gap between the North Africans and Sundowns has narrowed significantly over the years and this augurs well for South African football. The current Downs technical team is changing the narrative and continues to take the team to greater heights. This rivalry between Downs and Ahly is something that shouldn’t be taken lightly because, as long as these two continue to push one another, the continent’s football will be a great beneficiary and it is also good for both Egyptian and South African football. The ‘instigators’ of this rivalry are all our very own, which is a massive achievement for the South African Football Association and the DStv Premiership because all these coaches are the products of the two football institutions and the local game. They wouldn’t be where they are today had it not been for the courses and opportunities they grabbed from the local game.
Not many African coaches have been tolerated in Egypt, especially at Ahly, where winning the domestic league, or even the Champions League and playing in the FIFA Club World Cup, doesn’t guarantee your stay. Where there’s so much pressure that you’re literally expected to win each and every game you play. A country where losing to your bitter rivals can easily become your exit ticket because there are teams that you are just not allowed to lose against. Pitso Mosimane has seen and done it all – he even got his contract extended for a further two years, which is well deserved and earned. Completing that contract will earn him a place in a group of special coaches at Ahly, another massive accomplishment. Once again, when he left, many thought it was time for the rest of the domestic opposition to close the gap on Downs, thinking that Mngqithi and Mokwena were not ready for the mammoth task ahead of them. Did they not prove all the doubters wrong, in style and with humility? The proof is in the pudding because no one can question them on anything they’ve achieved so far. They continue to play a significant role in South African football and their presence is felt and it is a beautiful story that aspiring coaches can take a leaf out of.
We have to credit Pitso for the role he’s played in these three coaches’ careers while, at the same time, acknowledging the massive impact Manqoba, Rhulani and Steve have had since they began their rein at Chloorkop. A lot of people seem to forget the challenging circumstances under which these guys took over. Losing a head coach, so abruptly, and then in a short space of time losing two of the most influential players in the team through car accidents, in Anele Ngcongca and Motjeka Madisha respectively, while you are still expected to compete both locally and continentally is not an easy task. Some teams have taken years to recover from similar losses, but with Sundowns, thanks to the Three Wise Men’s wisdom, it was business as usual when they walked onto the field, while taking care of the emotional and psychological side of things behind the scenes. Now, because of Sundowns, North Africans are slowly taking note of our football and will soon stop looking down on us because their dominance has now come under serious threat. Now there are ‘new kids on the block’ and all eyes are on the Sundowns technical team on one side and Pitso Mosimane on the other hand, as the teams to beat in the continent. It doesn’t get better than that! May the four coaches continue to shape our football and change the narrative. For any African child out there looking for motivation or inspiration, look no further than Mosimane, Komphela, Mokwena and Mngqithi! We don’t celebrate these guys enough and maybe that’s because they are locals. A prophet has no honour in his country, even the Bible says. Sundowns are on the verge of winning a record fifth league title on the trot and they continue to break boundaries, push the envelope and change the narrative. They continue to dominate the local space completely and are now heading towards doing the same in the continent. Our football hasn’t been the same, thanks to these four gentlemen and we have to bow to them, appreciate and acknowledge them. Give them their roses while they can still smell them rather than glowing tributes posthumously. Gentlemen, keep up the good work. May you continue to shape, impact and change the narrative.
