Football
Rulani Mokwena Looks Forward to Bringing Glory Back to Wydad Casablanca
Rulani Mokwena, now head coach of Wydad Casablanca, aims to restore the club's dominance after leaving Mamelodi Sundowns. He shares his thoughts on the move and his commitment to success in Morocco.
Image Credits: Ayman Aref/NurPhoto via Getty Images
It was an unexpected turn of events at the end of the 2023/24 season when Mamelodi Sundowns announced that they would be parting ways with their former head coach Rulani Mokwena.
It was a successful season for the Pretoria outfit, who won the Inaugural African Football League tournament and the DStv (now Betway) Premiership. However, in Sundowns’ statement, the reason for Mokwena’s hasty exit was that the targets set out by the club were not met and parting ways was the best option moving forward.
Now having moved on to seemingly greener pastures in Morocco, a month ago the South African tactician was unveiled as the head coach of Wydad Casablanca, marking a new era in his already stunning career.
It was always going to happen…
Speaking exclusively to SportsBoom.com, Mokwena alluded to the fact that his departure from the Brazilians was inevitable, as he dropped hints in his press conferences about his struggles but it is only a few people who picked up that the end of the road was imminent.
“To me it wasn’t a surprise to be honest with you. There were a lot of people close to me who can tell you that even though I feel like it was a bit premature and that we could have gone on to do a lot more, but as a person there’s certain things that you can feel,” said Mokwena about leaving his former club.
Scrapping the sabbatical and going to the next level
In a plot twist of events, Moroccan club Wydad Casablanca posted on their social media accounts that the 37-year-old has been appointed head coach. Following the news that Mokwena would no longer be with the DStv Premiership champions, there had been rumours that he would be taking a sabbatical before committing to another coaching position.
“The sabbatical I thought about quite extensively, but I’m 37, you know? Why should I take a sabbatical?,” Mokwena joked when asked by SportsBoom.com about why he decided against taking an extended leave and taking the job in North Africa instead.
Image Credits: Ayman Aref/NurPhoto via Getty Images
“I’m only beginning my career. I’m fortunate enough that I can say that I’ve coached three incredible football clubs on the African continent, and I’ve forged a career where I don’t think I was given anything on a silver platter,” he added on a more serious note.
Why Morocco, why Wydad?
A tactician of Mokwena’s calibre is highly sought after and he received other offers, he shared the reason why he decided on going to Morocco instead of taking up the other opportunities.
“The only thing that I can actually say that made me choose Wydad over quite a lot of different options was their intensity, their commitment, their resolve to pull me towards the club,” he uttered.
“When people show so much confidence and belief in you, I think in retrospect I made the right choice. I am enjoying myself and I look forward to helping this club try to get back to being a dominant force in the continent like it has been in the past.”
Mokwena shared that he was grateful for the opportunity to level up in his career and vowed that he is committed to serving his new club the same way he did for all the previous teams he has coached.
There are other South African coaches who have taken jobs across the border, such as Pitso Mosimane, Fadlu Davids and Roger de Sa to name a few. Mokwena sees his new place of employment as an opportunity to keep flying the South African flag high.
“I see it as an opportunity to create even more possibilities for more South Africans and also to try to live up to the legacy and the successes of many South Africans who have come to the North,” he said.
Thando Mpembe is a dynamic sports reporter, where the thrill of the game meets the art of storytelling. With over five years of experience in the journalism industry and an honours degree, Thando has successfully fused a passion for entertainment with an undying love for sports.