Rhulani Mokwena, former head coach of Mamelodi Sundowns will coach Wydad Casablanca, it was confirmed on Thursday. Picture: Nic Bothma, BackpagePix
Former Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rhulani Mokwena was on Thursday afternoon confirmed as the new coach of Moroccan giants Wydad Athletic Club.
The move to Morocco comes after Mokwena was unceremoniously sacked by Mamelodi Sundowns despite guiding them to a seventh straight DStv Premiership crown.
After his sacking, Mokwena refused to entertain any talk of taking a break from football as he was confident offers would come flooding in after leaving the Tshwane giants.
They did come flooding in, and on Thursday, it was announced that the Casablanca-based club had won the race for his services.
At just 37 years old, Mokwena has built up an impressive CV, which has seen him win four league titles and coach of the season three times.
Exclusive: Welcoming our new coach, Mokwena from South Africa… 🇿![CDATA[]]>🇦
— Wydad Red Castle (@WydadRedCastle) July 11, 2024
The beginning of a new chapter for Wydad 👋 pic.twitter.com/07GhlcNjXl
Mokwena joins Wydad during a difficult period. Last season, they could only manage sixth place in the Botola Pro 1, and had to watch Josef Zinnbauer coached city rivals Raja Casablanca romp to the title without losing a game, while Nasreddine Nabi’s AS FAR Rabat finished second.
Nabi’s impressive work with AS FAR has led to him landing the Kaizer Chiefs job.
Mokwena has been a thorn in Wydad’s side in recent years. In November of last year, Mamelodi Sundowns beat them in a two-legged final to win the inaugural African Football League. And there were other close ties in the CAF Champions League between the two teams, who have developed a rivalry on the continental stage.
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