Bounouar: Moroccans Are In Love With Pitso

By Malose Wa Ga Lamola

It wasn't a surprise to see Mamelodi Sundowns tying down Pitso Mosimane to a further four years. He is a serial winner after all and fulfills president Patrice Motsepe' wishes.

Mosimane had a strong entrance to the African scene and was supremely confident. Coming from a national team set up, he was far from a new kid on the block. He might have been a complete manager when he joined Sundowns in 2012 but Mosimane always has an army of doubters. But nothing beats numbers and stats to turn doubters into believers.
Mosimane' unprecedented Caf Champions League victory and league quadruple arm twisted his critics to accept he is a man on a mission. His success at the Tshwane based outfit has been unreal. One of the greatest debates in football is the dominance in the Champions league. Mosimane ticks all the right boxes in that category.

Now that the dust has settled. ShakingInk caught up with a BBC Africa football journalist based in Casablanca, Jalal Bounouar, to find out more on the relationship between Mosimane and the Moroccans. The football scriber gives a detailed narration on the alleged beautiful affair.

Mosimane revealed in the not so distant past that there were teams from North Africa that showed interest in his services. Another was from the 2022 Fifa World Cup host nation, Qatar, but couldn't beat Patrice Motsepe to his signature. Motsepe said he wanted Mosimane to be Sundowns 'Sir Alex Ferguson.' His appreciation got Mosimane blushing as he puts pen to paper on Thursday. "Stay where you are loved." Mosimane emphasized.

Though there were no name dropping as to which sides were on the verge of pouncing on Mosimane, Bounouar says there was no Moroccan outfit that showed interests in signing Mosimane. "There is no team (in Morocco) that has publicly shown interest in signing him. But Wydad and Moroccan fans at large are in love with Mosimane, because of his style of play.

Sundowns and Casablanca have met ten times since Mosimane took the reins in 2012 to navigate Sundowns through Caf Champions League campaigns. With the two sides travelling between three cities, Wydad switching between Rabat and Casablanca, and that beats a tale of two cities. Friendships were bound to be established. But the fierce rivalry on the pitch remains as thick as a morning dew.

It is a rare scene to have 50 000 fans chanting an opposition team coach name, Casablanca supporters sang their lungs out in appreciation of coach Mosimane. With a vast of teams across the continent having adopted a defensive approach, especially when playing away, it seems like Pitso' attack minded style has won the hearts of Wydad Casablanca faithful. That's sins of pleasure but one can only watch in envy.

Bounouar who saw Mosimane first hand when he led Sundowns in Casablanca says Mosimane is one of a kind. "Sundowns is the only team that comes to play in Morocco and play open football. I mean to play in Casablanca in front of 50 000 spectators in not a defensive way, that is something huge for fans. All the teams come here to Mohammed V stadium and play defensively."

Those closer to the Kagiso  born mentor know he is addicted to winning and wants to win even behind yellow painted walls at Chloorkop. Though mostly potrayed as a sore loser, Pitso knows when to accept defeats. According to Bouanour this set Mosimane apart from the rest.

"Also his sportsmanship. I mean when Wydad eliminated Sundowns in one of the Champions League games there in South Africa. Wydad and Moroccan fans loved his gesture when he visited Wydad players in the locker room (to congratulate them)."

It is a well documented tale of how dire conditions one needs to overcome before conquering Africa. From the airport to the hotel, one will feel he is in a foreign land. Not availing training grounds on time. These are the oldest tricks in African football book. Bouanour says Sundowns goes above board to ensure Wydad gets A-class treatment when they come down to the tip end of the continent.

"Even Wydad players when they go to play in South Africa, they are like playing at home. They are welcomed by Sundowns and they get all the facilities needed unlike other African games."

Bounouar signed off with a bang. Stating that the clash between Sundowns and Wydad is dubbed by many as the 'African Classico.'  "Wydad-Sundowns rivalry is now considered by the fans here as the African Classico, linking the North of Africa with its South." Said Bounouar in conclusion.

@Lamola_Herold