“And then we say that we are getting closer to Europe, we are 50 years away from Uefa Champions League. You have Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) there are stampedes, you have officials dying, that’s Caf leadership.”
Though responsibility for this problem lies mostly at the door of the countries themselves and their federations and clubs, Mosimane also pointed to the poor standard of facilities on the continent.
“We need to improve. Have you seen the training pitches that we train on in the Champions League? It is bad training pitches, you don’t know what is happening.
“The problem is that you are not allowed to travel and see all these things. You go to Tanzania, there is no pitch to train in Tanzania and I know this because I was there against Simba.
“There is no pitch to train in Sudan and this is during the group stages of the Champions League. Come on please. I see it, I experience it and if affects me. Probably in SA is not that much as it affects me but I am in that space.
WATCH | ‘Caf Champions League is 50 years away from Uefa Champions League,’ says Pitso Mosimane
Sports reporter
Image: GALLO IMAGES/ LEFTY SHIVAMBU
Outspoken Al Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane has taken a swipe at the Caf leadership for the myriad challenges that are derailing the game on the continent.
Addressing the media on Friday afternoon during his short visit to the country, Mosimane said the Caf Champions League is “50 years away” from the Uefa Champions League.
He also lamented the fact that there is no VAR in the group stages of the Champions League and the state of facilities in some of the countries he has visited.
“Why don’t we have VAR in the group stages, Egypt is running VAR on all the games, Morocco is doing that, Algeria is doing that. When are we going to have VAR in the group stages of the Champions League?
“And then we say that we are getting closer to Europe, we are 50 years away from Uefa Champions League. You have Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) there are stampedes, you have officials dying, that’s Caf leadership.”
Though responsibility for this problem lies mostly at the door of the countries themselves and their federations and clubs, Mosimane also pointed to the poor standard of facilities on the continent.
“We need to improve. Have you seen the training pitches that we train on in the Champions League? It is bad training pitches, you don’t know what is happening.
“The problem is that you are not allowed to travel and see all these things. You go to Tanzania, there is no pitch to train in Tanzania and I know this because I was there against Simba.
“There is no pitch to train in Sudan and this is during the group stages of the Champions League. Come on please. I see it, I experience it and if affects me. Probably in SA is not that much as it affects me but I am in that space.
Pitso: ‘If you play at a neutral ground you can talk about winning or losing’
“I see all the injustices that are happening and I feel sorry for African football. African football is drifting back, tell me anything new that has happened. We have games on television, games on television were there when I was with SuperSport United. Why do we clap hands now that we have games on television? I mean really.
“They have been there for a long time and Champions League games on TV is a must.”
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos