The renowned South African sports journal, Kick Off, sheds light on Al Ahly’s pursuit of former Orlando Pirates player, Lebohang Mokoena, during a significant period in the club’s history.
In a report titled “How Al Ahly Pressured Pirates to Sign Mokoena,” Kick Off unveils the details of Al Ahly’s attempts to secure Mokoena’s signature, quoting the South African player in a televised interview.
Mokoena revealed that Al Ahly had made a strong offer when he was playing for the Orlando Pirates U17 team.
However, at that time, his parents believed he was too young to live in Egypt.
“I received an offer from Al Ahly before signing with the Pirates’ first team. I had just returned from the U17 championship, where I was the top scorer.
We lost in the final, and I also think I was the best player,” stated Mokoena.
The South African winger continued his televised remarks, explaining, “So Al Ahly said, ‘This guy must stay here.’
But my mother said, ‘No, you are still too young to stay in Egypt. You still need to finish your studies.’
I think that’s what pressured Pirates to keep me, and they insisted on giving me a contract with the first team.”
Player’s Decision Sealed…
Reflecting on the situation, Mokoena placed some blame on his parents, admitting, “Looking at it now, I blame my parents because I wanted to leave.
For me, it was about continuing my football journey outside South Africa because that’s what I believed in, to become the best in the world.”
He concluded, “When the opportunity came for me to move to Al Ahly, I was very excited because this could have been a life-changing moment… but it didn’t happen.
Then I moved forward because I was promised to leave if there was another offer, but that hasn’t happened yet.”
Mosimane Paves the Way for Countrymen…
Kick Off also highlighted the rarity of South African players in the Egyptian Premier League, noting that Pitso Mosimane paved the way for South African players to join the league.
Mosimane, as the first coach from sub-Saharan Africa to lead Al Ahly, has influenced players like Percy Tau to follow suit.
