Why Mosimane wants to unearth the next Jay-Jay Okocha

Why Mosimane wants to unearth the next Jay-Jay Okocha

Nigerian football icon Austin ‘Jay-Jay’ Okocha’s outrageous skill has left Pitso Mosimane stunned. The Abha Club coach expressed his admiration for the former Premier League star after watching again his career video match highlights. The South African sampled the video clips via @IAmOkocha.

What the Abha Club coach said after watching Jay-Jay Okocha

“Unbelievable technique and mastering of the ball @IAmOkocha,” the Abha Club boss posted on his X.com @TheRealPitso handle. The Saudi Arabia-based trainer has since urged his Pitso Mosimane Soccer School coaches to scout for the next Jay-Jay Okocha. He added: “@PMosimane SS coaches, please can we try and scout at least one player with this kind of technique WOW!”

Mutual respect between the Abha Club mentor and Jay-Jay Okocha

The Abha Club’s handler’s admiration for Jay-Jay Okocha is not surprising. The Super Eagles legend recently showed his respect for the former Al Ahly manager. The former Bolton Wanderers man had described Mosimane as ‘one of the best African coaches.’ The South African had then expressed interest in coaching a national team such as Nigeria. The ex-Mamelodi Sundowns tactician ended up picking a short-term contract with the Saudi Pro League strugglers last month.

On the other hand, the ex-Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder is now a television pundit and a football ambassador back home. Jay-Jay Okocha retired from playing football in 2008. He earned 73 caps and featured at several FIFA World Cups in a career that saw him win the Olympic Games’ gold medal.

What next now for Mosimane in Saudi Pro League?

Away from Jay-Jay Okocha’s admiration, Mosimane registered his first win with Abha Club after beating Afghanistan 4-1 in a friendly on Thursday afternoon. The Saudi Arabian side led 2-1 at the break, courtesy of a brace from Hassan Al Ali. Afghanistan pulled one back before the half-time whistle. Abha Club stepped up a gear in the second half. They added two more goals through Saad Bguir and Marcel Tisserand to seal the win.

It was the first victory for Jingles who had started his reign at Abha Club with a 2-0 loss to Sudan’s Al Hilal last week. The former Al Ahly coach is preparing for the resumption of the Saudi Pro League later this month. Abha’s opponents in the league include Cristiano Ronaldo’s employers, Al -Nassr.  Fixtures sourced on the Saudi Pro League website show that Abha will entertain Al-Nassr on April 11, 2024. The game will take place at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Sports City Stadium. The venue is the home for Abha who unveiled the ex-Al Ahly mentor on Friday.

How Jingles returned to Saudi Arabia

The former Al Wahda coach has joined on a short-term contract. The ex-Bafana Bafana handler has been tasked with saving the club from the jaws of relegation. The 59-year-old has returned to the dugout months after having last coached the United Arab Emirates side, Al Wahda. He quit Al Wahda in November 2023, barely after four months on the job.