Mosimane Opens Up on Turning Down Nigeria Coaching Job

Pitso Mosimane

Multiple award winning coach Mosimane explains why he turned down a job offer from the Super Eagles: “Jay-Jay Okocha was begging me”

Award-winning coach Pitso Mosimane reveals he turned down Nigeria's Super Eagles job due to his emotional attachment to South Africa, despite Jay-Jay Okocha's persuasion. Mosimane cites patriotism and a desire to see South Africa succeed in the World Cup as reasons for his decision.

Pitso Mosimane, the former coach of Al Ahly, has disclosed that he was approached by the Q Nigeria Football Federation to become the coach of the Super Eagles, but he turned them down because of his strong emotional ties to South Africa.

Since Jose Peseiro left, the Super Eagles coaching position has been a hot issue. The NFF invited applicants after the Portuguese strategist resigned from his coaching post, and a large number of managers applied.

Finidi George, who had temporarily filled in as assistant coach, was the choice made by them. That choice, though, hasn't worked out well because the Super Eagles have struggled under the former Ajax player. However, it seems that Finidi wasn't always listed first by the NFF.

This comes after former Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly coach Mosimane disclosed that he received a call from an NFF representative and former Nigerian international Jay-Jay Okocha.

“The calls were coming from Nigeria, the talks were there. Jay-Jay Okocha was leading this thing, he was begging me. But you know South Africa and Nigeria were in the same group. It's not too nice, its unpatriotic because I want to see my team in the World Cup,” Mosimane told SNAWA.

“But also, work is work. You can never deny a chance to coach Chukwueze, Osimhen, those players are unbelievable, those guys are yop talents I the world.

“In my opinion, Nigeria struggle with the system or shape of how to play. The problem is when you have too many good football players. Its nearly the same as Brazil, where you have too much talent and the coach doesn't even know who to play and where to play. The coach is impatient when the game is not looking good, and you make changes when you have somebody else on the bench. There's no patience.

“I didn't consider the Nigeria job because of my emotional attachment to South Africa. Nigeria never put a deal on the table, it was just talks, they only called me from the Federation.

“In football, a contract must be on the table and signed. If that is not really happening, then there's no deal."

Despite his stellar resume, Mosimane is currently not discussed while discussing the Super Eagles. Antonio Conceicao, a Portuguese tactician, has been strongly associated with the position of technical director and may be named soon.