Inside Pitso Mosimane’s Failed Contract Mission With Abha Club As Kaizer Chiefs Remain Alert

• Pitso Mosimane has announced the end of his contract with Abha Club after a failed mission
• The tactician had been linked with a move to Kaizer Chiefs before he headed to Saudi Arabia
• 'Jingles' was heavily paid at the club, but he could not keep their status in the Saudi topflight

South African tactician Pitso Mosimane opted to return to Saudi Arabia despite being linked to take over the managerial role at Kaizer Chiefs.

Amakhosi were stunned in January after learning that 'Jingles' agreed a short-term deal with Saudi Professional League club Abha Club

This comes barely three months after Molefi Ntseki was fired as the head coach of Kaizer Chiefs, with Cavin Johnson taking charge temporarily.

The Soweto giants struggled all through the season, crashing out of the Nedbank Cup and then finishing the DStv Premiership in 10th position.

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Johnson was in charge of 21 league matches, winning just six, losing eight, with seven matches ending in draws.

In the course of the season, reports linked Pitso to the Chiefs job as supporters of the club also urged the management to do everything to land the former Mamelodi Sundowns manager.

Pitso had been clubless for months, but the 59-year-old opted for a return to Saudi Arabia for a brief period.

Pitso Mosimane's contract with Abha Club

Mosimane's management team, MT Sports Marketing and Management, led by his wife Moira Tlhagale, worked out his move to Abha Club, GOAL reports.

The Kagiso-born serial winner reportedly earned a staggering R27.4 million per month and was tasked to ensure the club maintain the Saudi Professional League status.

It was gathered that he signed a four-month contract, and his main mission was to revive the team languishing in the relegation zone of the Pro League at the time.

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They had managed to garner just 14 points from 19 games and the former Bafana Bafana coach was appointed to oversee the remaining 15 games of the Pro League.

How did Pitso Mosimane perform at Abha Club?

Of Pitso's 15 league matches in charge, the tactician guided the club to five wins, three draws, and seven losses.

Abha Club's 2-1 loss to Al-Hazm in their final league game means they are relegated from the Saudi top flight.

Despite opening the scoring in the 47th minute of that encounter, Mosimane’s side failed to hold onto their lead as Muhammed Badamosi equalized in the 58th minute.

Al-Hazm's Mohammed Al-Thani later found the back of the net to condemn the visitors to Saudi's second tier.

Pitso linked with Kaizer Chiefs

Sports Brief earlier reported that Mosimane announced the end of his contract with Abha Club following their relegation from the Saudi Pro League (SPL), amid links with Kaizer Chiefs.

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The former Mamelodi Sundowns manager had taken on the challenge of steering the struggling Saudi side to safety, but his efforts ultimately fell short in the face of a dramatic final-day defeat.

Mosimane, who had joined Abha in January with the primary goal of ensuring the club's retention in the top flight, saw his side briefly move out of the relegation zone after a narrow victory in the penultimate round of games.