Mamelodi's South African manager Pitso Mosimane reacts as he instructs his players from the sidelines during the first leg of the CAF Champions League Quarter-final football match between Egypt's Al-Ahly and South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns at Cairo International Stadium in the capital Cairo FILE. Pitso Mosimane (pictured) is less than pleased that Mamelodi Sundowns fired their coach Rulani Mokwena. Picture: Khaled Desouki/AFP
Pitso Mosimane is less than pleased that Mamelodi Sundowns fired their coach Rulani Mokwena, ahead of the new season.
Sundowns won their seventh DStv Premiership title in a row in May, and as the new season nears it came as a shock that Mokwena was given the axe.
Mosimane coached Sundowns from 2012 to 2020 and in that time led the team to five league titles, two Nedbank Cups, one Telkom knockout trophy, one Caf Champions League title and one Caf Super Cup title.
Having worked with Mokwena at Sundowns from 2014 to 2017, Mosimane had a close relationship with the young manager.
Former Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Pitso Mosimane on the departure of his successor and former assistant Rulani Mokwena at Sundowns.
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“Now, the sad part is [he was] let go at Sundowns. I’m not happy, you can feel my emotion,” Mosimane said in an interview with SABC.
“I’m not pretending, I just feel bad for him. Sundowns is a big club, Sundowns will sort themselves out. Sundowns is not about Pitso, Sundowns is not about Rulani.
“Coaches come and go; I get emotional with this thing of Rulani. Why, because I know Rulani well.
“You have been there on my journey with Rulani, I was so humbled and appreciated that. The little bit of contribution that I put when I came to Mamelodi Sundowns.
Mokwena came through the coaching ranks at a relatively young age, and now at 37 his prospects are high after his success at Sundowns.
Having first rejoined Sundowns in 2020 and sharing the coaching duties with Manqoba Mngqithi, Mokwena was promoted to head coach in October 2022.
In fact, Mosimane explained how he had a hand in bringing in the two coaches.
“I brought over coach Manqoba, I brought over coach Rulani, that they must help me in the process of building and making a better team that can compete in the continent that was the vision.
“And I think we can all say that we have achieved that vision, and we need to give credit to the people who contributed. I didn’t do it alone, I had them on my side as my generals, my assistants to help me and they’ve helped me.”