Pitso Mosimane says the prestige of Iranian club Esteghlal FC was a major pull for him before he decided to join them.
Mosimane returned to the Gulf last week when he was confirmed as the coach of nine-time Iranian champions Esteghlal and was in the stands as the club lost 1-0 to a Cristiano Ronaldo-led Al-Nassr of Saudi Arabi in the Asian Champions League on Tuesday.
The game came too soon for the former Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly coach who got to meet his new players on Wednesday as he begins another chapter of his illustrious coaching career in the gulf.
“Timing, contracts signed, contracts sealed – paperwork from the office,” Mosimane told Robert Marawa on why he was not in the dugout for Tuesday’s glamour tie.
“Also, you can’t just leave in the evening because we arrive on the morning of the match.
What is exciting Jingles about his new job?
“The match is in the evening, we arrive in the morning. I mean what impact can you do besides greeting people? That’s what made this [absence].
“Because we don’t go for one game of playing Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mane’s team. I mean if you look at that group, you ask yourself where else can you be?”
Mosimane is back to the Gulf after his stints with Al Ahi Jeddah and Abha, both of Saudi, as well as Al Wahda in the United Arab Emirates, and cannot wait to get started.
He is delighted that he will pit his wits against some of the world’s top players now that Saudi clubs, which his team will be facing in the Champions League, have been attracting superstars from Europe.
“I meant the next one you facing [Khalidou] Koulibaly, [Edouard] Mendy, [Roberto Firmino] Bobby, Riyadh Mahrez. So, now you tell me which one is better?” he posed.
Mosimane backing himself against Saudi giants
“Then you have [Aleksandar] Mitrovic in [Al] Hilal the champions of Asia the next one. You can’t ask for more, there’s nothing bigger than that.
“All these big stars who leave Europe to go to the Gulf, it’s the champions of the champions. I mean really, it’s a baptism of fire.”
Mosimane is, however, backing his team to challenge the Asian giants when they meet.
“But let’s go in there. And We have a chance, we have a good team. At the moment the team is not in top shape,” he said.
“Big team. Won the Champions League two times, so it came second last year. One of the biggest teams in the Middle East. You can’t turn that down. Esteghlal is huge.”
