Edward Motale Defends Pitso Mosimane After Appollis and Modiba Comments

Edward Motale, Pitso Mosimane’s former teammate at Jomo Cosmos, has defended the current Bafana Bafana head coach over his comments on Oswin Appollis and Aubrey Modiba, saying that he believes Mosimane was merely communicating what he expects from his players instead of favouring the Mamelodi Sundowns style of play.

Pitso's Comments

Following Bafana Bafana’s 2-1 victory over Guinea at the Orlando Amstel Arena this past Saturday, head coach Pitso Mosimane made comments that many football fans around the country were not happy with.

“Modiba must play exactly the same way he plays at Sundowns,” Mosimane boldly told the media on Saturday. 

“He must come into the No. 10 role. That’s important. I didn’t invent that style for Modiba, he’s been playing like that. We’ve got to use him to his strengths.”

“Appollis knows that when Modiba comes inside, he has to stay on the wing,” Mosimane explained. 

“Appollis doesn’t play that way at Pirates, he plays inside. But this is the national team, right? He has to accommodate Modiba." 

“At Pirates, he drifts inside and (Deon) Hotto overlaps. But this is the national team, and he has to adjust. I need Appollis staying wide on the wing rather than coming inside. Sometimes, Sebelebele must sit back.”

The 62-year-old's comments made it seem as if he had been favouring a Mamelodi Sundowns style of play over that of Orlando Pirates.

His former teammate, the legendary Motale, insists that the fans have taken the comments out of context.

Motale added that football people understand what Mosimane was saying, which is what he prefers and wants from his players. 

“Sometimes, when you say things, people can interpret you the way they hear you. But a football person or a sporting person, when somebody interprets them, will quickly understand," Motale told Sportsboom.co.za in an exclusive interview.

“With Hugo Broos, he'll say things, and as footballers, we'll understand that, okay, this man doesn't want interference. He doesn't like agents to control him over his players. We understood him. But other people, they said, oh, he was arrogant. The same applies to Pitso." 

“When he talks, I'll understand his language because he's talking football language. The point he just raised now, even though he was angry, because when you're fuming, people will not focus on what you say but will focus on the facial expression and the tone." 

“So, when he was talking about Appollis staying wide and then the left back (Modiba) going inside, for me as a footballer, it says that's what he has been training, and the boys were doing the opposite. I know Pitso, if he wants A, he wants A. If he wants B, he wants B. But I wish him all the best.”

Understanding Pitso

If there is anything that Mosimane has made clear throughout his coaching career, it is the fact that he is a strong character with his own ideas and beliefs about what will work in the field of play.

Motale has reiterated that Mosimane has always been a strong character even in his playing days.

“I know him as a player because I played with him at Cosmos and Bafana. He always wants things to go his way, every time,” said Motale.

“And what I like about him, if you don't go his way, he'll tell you in your face; he won't gossip. He's a straightforward person and is not afraid of confrontations.”

Motale told SportsBoom that Mosimane was demanding as a player and knew what he wanted.

“Pitso was a lethal striker, I'll tell you that. He was very aggressive, very bully-like when it comes to defenders,” Motale added. 

“Pitso, he'll ask for a ball anywhere, in the middle of tackles, in the mix of defenders. He'll fight with us. He'll say, give me the ball. When I want the ball, give it to me. Don't worry about who's coming, just give me the ball.”

Motale reiterated that Mosimane took his playing style as an aggressive striker to his coaching career and has made great success out of himself.

“I mean, he took that thing from playing to coaching, and it worked for him," he said. "As I said, when you want things for you to happen, you insist on them." 

Adapting To The Pitso Way

Bafana Bafana won on Saturday, but still have a few areas they need to polish. 

There were opportunities on Saturday that should have been converted, and Mosimane himself agreed they should have scored more considering the sheer volume of opportunities they created.

Motale says the team has not gelled yet under the new management and that with time, they will be a formidable unit.

“I thought there were supposed to be more goals, but it seems they are not gelling well because it is the first time they are playing under the new coach. So, probably they are trying to adapt to his system and methodology,” said Motale.

“I think he's going to take us to greener pastures as soon as the players can adapt quickly because that's the only problem, the adaptation of the players to his system or methodology.”

Up next, Bafana Bafana will face Eritrea, an AFCON Qualifier fixture, before they take on Egypt in an international friendly. Both fixtures will be played in Cairo.