Rulani Mokwena, the mastermind behind Mamelodi Sundowns‘ recent dominance, was abruptly shown the exit door this week, leaving a trail of confusion and controversy.
Sundowns painted the departure as a mutual agreement, but Mokwena himself insists his hand was forced. This unexpected turn of events has South African football buzzing with questions.
In an interview with Robert Marawa on MSW, he said,
“I didn’t want to leave; I have to make that clear that I didn’t want to leave. My hand was forced,”
He added that he has signed a confidentiality agreement and therefore, unable to speak “about a lot of things”.
Mokwena’s coaching journey is deeply entwined with Sundowns. He spent nearly a dozen years with the club, strategizing their rise to multiple league titles.
Standing at an impressive 60 wins out of 91 games with Masandawana, Mokwena has established himself as a tactical genius in the South African league. Whispers suggest tension between Mokwena and the Sundowns sporting director, Flemming Berg, may have played a part in the unexpected split.
“The decision of Mamelodi Sundowns was taken by the Board taking into account the objectives and expectations of the club and was not influenced or based on the recommendation of any individual associated with the club,” read the club’s statement.
Whatever the reason, one thing is certain: Mamelodi Sundowns have lost a coach with a proven track record of success. With his impressive resume and wealth of experience, don’t be surprised to see Mokwena leading another team to glory soon.