Looking for Soccer News?
Jomo Sono: Africa has a history of squandering money
Many believe that Patrice Motsepe's billionaire status means that he's chasing Caf's top job for the right reason - his love of the game
South African football legend and Jomo Cosmos owner and head coach, Jomo Sono, believes that Mamelodi Sundowns president Patrice Motsepe is the ideal candidate to take African football forward into a brighter future.
Motsepe is running unopposed for the Caf presidential position, following the withdrawal of Jacques Anouma, Augustin Senghor and Ahmed Yahya, who are believed to have made an agreement in this regard with Fifa president Gianni Infantino.
The Sundowns boss is expected to be confirmed as the new Caf president at the 42nd edition of Caf's General Assembly, which takes place in Rabat, Morocco on Friday.
Sono has no doubt that his South African compatriot, who is also a highly successful billionaire businessman, is the best person for the job.
“Africa has a history of squandering money. Africa has always had the problem of money and leadership,” said Sono told the Daily Sun.
“I think he will restructure African football administration better than all former presidents. We just hope by the time his term ends [in 2026]), he would have restructured African football. I pray for him.
“Look at what he’s turned Mamelodi Sundowns into today. It’s difficult to compete with Sundowns in South Africa, and even in Africa. They have a big chance of qualifying for the Champions League final again.
The Ezenkosi owner also emphasised that Motsepe's passion is purely for the game and not for financial gain.
“With him it’s different. His interest is all about football," Sono added.
“I don’t think his interest is about money. He’s the only guy who put in money into amateur football at Safa, where they had a first prize of R1 million [for the winners of the ABC Motsepe League, South Africa's third division].
“You can see that he loves the game. He’s brought teams like Barcelona here in South Africa. He loves the game. I think he took it from his late father because he too he loved the game dearly."
Should Motsepe be named president as expected, he will become the eighth Caf leader since 1958 and will succeed Ahmad Ahmad of Madagascar, who on Monday received a two-year ban from the Court of Arbitration for Sport after being found guilty of violating several Fifa ethics codes.
