Pitso Mosimane Explains Why He Decided to Coach Abha Club in Saudi Arabia

• Pitso Mosimane has been tasked with saving Abha Club from relegation
• The former Mamelodi Sundowns boss signed a short-term deal last month
• Abha Club are 17th in the Saudi Pro league, with 14 points from 19 games

It has been a few weeks since Pitso Mosimane officially took over as coach of Saudi Pro League side Abha Club.

The former Mamelodi Sundowns manager has spoken in detail about why he returned to Saudi Arabia.

Mosimane briefly coached Al Ahli between September 2022 and June last year, leading them to the Saudi Pro League.

The CAF Champions League winner joined the club that is languishing 17th in the SPL table with 14 points after 19 matches.

Therefore, Mosimane's task will be to keep the club in the top flight. Abha have lost four of their last five matches, and their last win came in November 2023.

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Mosimane will coach his first match with Abha on Thursday, February 15, against Al-Taawoun. They are five points off safety, meaning every game matters from now until the end of the season.

Things are complicated since their star player Karl Toko Ekambi, left to join Steven Gerrard's Al Etiffaq, per Far Post.

Mosimane on why he returned to Saudi

Speaking to the National News, the South African said he had unfinished business

"For me it’s about the challenge and, I guess, I’m trying to finish a story. If I personalise it, I won promotion to this league with Al Ahli, so I should be in the Pro League. Of course the conditions are different. It’s now the biggest league in the Gulf, maybe in Asia.”

Mosimane admits that saving Abha from relegation will be an uphill task.

“It’s going to be a bumpy ride,” said Mosimane. “Abha is one of the league’s ‘small’ teams. But there’s ambition, there’s a bit of experience. We need to try to do things a little differently.

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“If we can save them from relegation, there’s an opportunity to then make them much, much better. It’s an adventure, and I like adventures.”

Mosimane signs new striker for Abha Club

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Mosimane's new team, Abha Club, had signed a new striker after several links with Stellenbosch FC star Iqraam Rayners.

The former SuperSport United coach is preparing his new team ahead of their game against Al-Taawoun.

Mosimane has added an experienced striker, Luka Djordjevic, to his squad ahead of their clash with Al-Taawoun.