MTHOKOZISI MNCUSENI
NGEMUVA kokuthi uPitso Mosimane, aqophe umlando ngokuba umqeqeshi wokuqala wase-Afrika, ukudla isicoco seCaf Champions League amahlandla amathathu, ushiye angalazi kumaqembu athathwa njengamakhulu kuleli zwekazi. Uwasole ngokubashaya indiva abaqeqeshi abawumsinsi wase-Afrika, uma eqasha.
UMosimane udle isicoco sesithathu njengomqeqeshi seChampions League ngemuva kokuthi iqembu lakhe lase-Egypt, i-Al Ahly, ibhudluze iKaizer Chiefs ngo 3-0 emdlalweni wamanqamu ngoMgqibelo ebusuku, eMohammed V Stadium, eMorocco.
Ngo-2016 lo mqeqeshi waqukula isicococ sokuqala salo mqhudelwano ehola iMamelodi Sundowns. Lokhu kuhlabana kwakhe kumenze waba ngomunye wabahlonishwayo e-Afrika. Nyakenye ujoyine i-Al Ahly wafika wadla nayo lesi sicoco, njengoba ubesivikela ngempelasonto.
Ngaphezulu kwakho konke lokhu, uMosimane uqophe omunye umlando eba ngumqeqeshi wesine eminyakeni engu-57 yeChampions League, ukudla lesi sicoco amasizini elandelana.
Ukuvikela iChampions League kwagcina ukwenzeka ngo-2005 nango-2006 kwenziwa nguJose Manuel wasePortugal, owayeqeqesha yona i-Al Ahly.
UManuel nguyena umqeqeshi obashaya emakhanda ngokugoduka nesicoco seChampions League, usekwenze amahlandla amane. UMosimane usendaweni yesibili ngezicoco ezintathu. I-Al Ahly ibiyinqoba okweshumi le ndebe.
“Ngizizwa ngihloniphekile ngokuthi abaphathi be-Al Ahly bakhombise ukungethemba ngeqembu labo ekubeni kade kuhlasele indlala yeChampions League yeminyaka eyisikhombisa.
“Akukho obekubavimba ukuthi bayobheka e-Europe, bayolanda umqeqeshi njengoba ehlale enza amanye amaqembu kodwa balanda mina. Kuyangijabulisa lokhu ngoba kuyakucacisa ukuthi nathi singabase-Afrika, sinawo amava okudla izicoco ezimqoka.
“Kungani amaqembu athathwa njengamakhulu e-Afrika engakholelwa kubantu bawo? Kungani besaqhubeka nokubheka e-Europe balande noma ngubani ekubeni nathi sinawo amava?
“Ompetha be-Afcon (Africa Cup of Nations) i-Algeria, badle isicoco beqeqeshwa ngowokuzalwa e-Afrika, okungezinye zezinkomba zokuthi asihluke ngalutho kulaba baqeqeshi base-Europe abahlale belandwa bengazi lutho,” kusho uMosimane, ngokufuthelana esithangamini sabezindaba.
“Kwesinye isikhathi sibakhothamela kakhulu abaqeqeshi base-Europe bese sikhohlwa okwethu. Angazi kanjani kodwa sivele silande noma ngubani simnike iqembu elikhulu singama-Afrika, nokuyinto engixakayo ngoba kufanele ngabe sesibonile manje ukuthi sinabo abaqeqeshi abangawenza umsebenzi. Sinakho konke okudingekayo esigabeni esikhulu. Sinabo abaqeqeshi abawulungele lo mdlalo. Kungani njalo kufanele sibheke e-Europe?
“Namuhla bengibhekene nomqeqeshi wase-England (Baxter), kanti ngokudlule nginqobe kumqeqeshi wasePortugal. Amaqembu ase-Afrika kusemqoka ukuthi aqale manje athembe abantu base-Afrika. Anginanxa nabaqeqeshi base-Europe kodwa asinakiwe kuleliya zwekazi ngakho-ke kusemqoka ukuthi sizinake thina,” kusho lo mqeqeshi ebala izinkomishi aseke wazidla kodwa akaze aklonyeliswe ngalutho e-Europe.
“Umlando umile ekutheni senza izinto ezincomekayo lapha e-Afrika kodwa asibhekwa nangeso emiklomelweni. Ngisho kuzokhishwa imiklomelo yabadlali e-Europe, abethu ababhekwa nangeso ngakho yiso lesi isikhathi sokuthi amaqembu ase-Afrika, avuke emaqandeni azikhulisele okungokwawo ngoba abantu base-Afrika banawo amava adingekayo,” kusho uMosimane.