Opinion: Rulani Mokwena must prove himself for three years at teams like TS Galaxy
Former Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena is set to return to South Africa soon, as his tenure with Wydad Casablanca is scheduled to end next month.
The 38-year-old joined the Moroccan giants last year with the goal of restoring their status at the top of the league. However, Mokwena has faced challenges in the Botola Pro 1, with his team struggling to secure a third-place finish.
To earn a spot in the CAF Confederation Cup, Wydad Casablanca must win all its remaining matches. A third-place finish may be seen as respectable but falls short of expectations, given Mokwena's inability to inspire his players this season.
The team's record of 12 draws in 27 matches indicates a struggle to secure wins and adapt to Mokwena's coaching methods.
Mlungisi spent most of his coaching career there, working with the development team before becoming a protégé of Pitso Mosimane. After Mosimane left the club in 2020, Mokwena, along with Manqoba Mngqithi and Steve Komphela, served as co-coaches for two years before Rulani eventually took over as the sole head coach. His two-year tenure brought some success, but the lack of a Champions League title ultimately led the club to part ways with him.
A week later, he took on the head coach role at Wydad.
In 2017, Mokwena briefly joined Orlando Pirates as an assistant coach before assuming the head coach position a year later. However, his tenure proved disastrous, resulting in his demotion. He did not take the news well and decided to leave the club shortly afterwards. He then had a brief stint coaching Chippa United during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it did not work out, and he returned to Sundowns.
Mokwena has a deep understanding of Sundowns, from the development structures to the first team, which made it easier for him to build upon Mosimane's legacy. Without Sundowns, however, Mokwena has struggled to find his footing.
In truth, Rulani Mokwena is a competent coach considering his age, but he needs to manage a PSL midtable team for at least three years to develop his skills and enhance his coaching résumé outside of Sundowns. Transitioning between Arab clubs will not contribute significantly to his knowledge, as he would primarily focus on winning leagues and championships with well-established teams.
Mlungisi will gain more respect in the coaching community if he can build a smaller team from the ground up, similar to what Mosimane and Gavin Hunt have achieved.
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