Pitso Mosimane once declared himself a better coach than Wayne Rooney and Frank Lampard
The South African is regarded as one of the greatest coaches in the history of African football
The 59-year-old tactician is reportedly wanted by several clubs after leaving the UAE league

Join our WhatsApp channel to stay in the game and never miss a beat with our real-time updates.

Pitso Mosimane, a highly accomplished manager in Africa, once asserted his tactical prowess by placing himself above Wayne Rooney and Frank Lampard in coaching ability.

The 59-year-old had previously highlighted the tendency of European clubs to overlook African coaches and even those of African origin based in Europe.

Pitso Mosimane, Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard, South Africa, Europe, coach — Pitso Mosimane once suggested he was a better tactician than Wayne Rooney and Frank Lampard. Photos by Stu Forster, Michael Regan - FIFA and Visionhaus
Source: Getty Images

Presently unattached after departing from Emirati club Al Wahda, the South African is back in the coaching market with a host of clubs reportedly circling around him.

'Jingles' has been linked with a potential return to Egypt, with rumours linking him to Zamalek, although the strongest speculation revolves around a move to South African powerhouse, Kaizer Chiefs.

Heavyweight broadcaster Robert Marawa, the voice of sports media in South Africa, celebrates 49th birthday

Boxing

Is Mosimane better than Lampard, Rooney?

Despite his impressive track record, especially winning the CAF Champions League multiple times with both Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly, Mosimane's recent tenure in the United Arab Emirates faced challenges, diminishing his prospects for a European move.

Nevertheless, he previously held his coaching credentials in higher regard than England's Rooney and Lampard, highlighting his belief in his managerial skills.

"But Europe is not ready for Africans; Europe is not ready for us. You want to tell me Wayne Rooney, who's just a coach now, is better than me. Are you serious?" he quipped, as quoted by Soccer Bullet.

"Frank Lampard is coaching Chelsea now. Excuse me, can I have a gig also? Give me the Chelsea players."

Comparing Mosimane to Rooney and Lampard

Mosimane's trophy cabinet boasts an array of major honours, including multiple CAF Champions League titles, CAF Super Cups, and domestic trophies.

Fascinating facts about the top 10 best AC Milan legends of all time

Football

Comparatively, his coaching tenure's performance metrics, such as points per game, exceed those of Rooney and Lampard, per Transfermarkt, which is a testament to his managerial impact.

Manager	Matches played	Wins	Draws	Losses	Points per game
Pitso Mosimane	501	285	121	95	1.95
Frank Lampard	196	83	40	73	1.47
Wayne Rooney	142	39	35	68	1.07

In terms of their managerial records, Rooney - the Manchester United legend, boasts a 27 per cent win rate, while Lampard - a Chelsea legend holds a slightly higher rate at 42 per cent.

Meanwhile, Mosimane stands out with an impressive win rate of 57 per cent, having coached in over 500 games. (statistics sourced from Sofascore).