FILE PHOTO: former Al Ahly head coach Pitso Mosimane during a press conference. PICTURE: Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images
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0 SAUDI ARABIA: Despite delivering on his mandate, he did not continue with the club to the top division.
South African coach Pitso Mosimane has lodged a complaint with the world football governing body, FIFA, against his former club Al Ahly Saudi over an unpaid six-month salary, according to reports in Saudi Arabia.
Al Ahly Saudi and Mosimane had an acrimonious end to their relationship, even though the coach steered the club out of stormy seas to calm waters. The club had brought in the three-time Confederation of African Football (CAF) champions league winner when it lay seventh in the second division. The former Bafana Bafana coach was then able to successfully promote it back to the top division, known as the Saudi Professional League (SPL). Despite delivering on his mandate, he did not continue with the club to the top division.
Hence, in addition to the unpaid salary, Mosimane, who was recently hired by a United Arab Emirates (UAE) club, Al Wahda Football Club, is allegedly complaining that his contractual agreement with Al Ahly was that if he wins promotion his contract would be extended.
“The contract concluded with Al Ahly is automatically activated in the second season without the need to sign new contracts or send an email with the desire of any party to stay, in the event that the team succeeds in moving up from Yellow to Roshen,” as quoted by Arriyadiyah, a Saudi Arabian news publication.
FIFA is set to ask for an explanation from Al Ahly Saudi about its termination of Mosimane’s contract at the club before any action is taken, according to reports.
Closer to home, a slightly similar case involves Serbian striker Samir Nurkovic and Royal AM, which plies its trade in the DSTV Premiership, a top-tier South African professional league.
The KwaZulu-Natal club terminated the striker’s contract within two months of signing him. Similar to Mosimane, the former Kaizer Chiefs player has sought recourse from FIFA, which has ordered Royal AM to pay him R12 million for unfair dismissal. The club, however, disobeyed its directive.
Consequently, the world’s football governing body has banned the club from registering new players until it has paid him. Royal AM has not taken its ban lying down; it has approached the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) to appeal the ban. CAS has lifted it pending an outcome of its appeal. If CAS dismisses its appeal, then the ban will be effective again.
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