Rulani falling in love with Wydad day by day, like he once did at Sundowns

Rulani Mokwena believes he left Mamelodi Sundowns in a better place as he finds his feet “falling in love” with new club Wydad Casablanca, whose “pain and dreams” he wants to carry turning the Moroccan giants around from two disappointing years. 

Mokwena did not want to be drawn into details of his shock, abrupt departure from Downs in early July and said even if he wanted to, his non-disclosure agreement (NDA) prevents him. 

An alleged fallout between Mokwena and Brazilians technical director Flemming Berg came to a head and prompted the former's exit. 

Mokwena was asked to describe a whirlwind six weeks that ended with him landing at one of the biggest clubs in Africa and if he could expand on what led to his departure from Sundowns. 

“It has been a bit of a turbulent experience for the past two months or so,” he told a digital press conference of the South African Football Journalists' Association. 

“But part to agreeing to leave was me having to commit to an NDA so I've got very little to say about my [departure from] Sundowns. I have put it in the past and I take only the good memories. 

“I leave with fond memories of my experiences with the fans, club and players. I feel extremely privileged to have coached and served at possibly every level of the club. 

“I worked with the U-15s as an assistant coach when I arrived, went on to work with the U-15s in Manchester when we went to the Nike tournament. We won several trophies with the U-19s and produced some of the best players in the past 10 years of Sundowns, such as Percy Tau, the late Motjeka Madisha and [Sphelele] “Pitso” Mkhulise. 

“Then we won four league titles in a row, three coach of the year awards in a row, winning the AFL, MTN8 and Nedbank Cup — seven trophies in four years for me, which I look at as an incredible milestone. 

“When you not just dominate the PSL but win a continental trophy [the African Football League], and also being aggressive in the Champions League achieving back-to-back semifinals for the first time in the club's history, I can only be proud of the work we did that went on to influence the success of the national team.” 

Mokwena was speaking after arriving back in Casablanca from a camp in Tunisia where Wydad drew 1-1 in their friendly against Club Africain on Sunday. Giving an example of the scale of job he has taken and experiences he is having he described spending time with the Tunisian club's coach David Bettoni, who assisted Zinedine Zidane to three successive Uefa Champions League wins at Real Madrid. 

“The conversations with him were incredible and what he told me about how he followed the work we did at Sundowns and how impressed he was with some of the things we were doing. 

"... I've got incredible support [at Wydad]. I think the fans are some of the best in the world. That's not only a subjective statement — they've twice won the award for best supporters in the world and I'm only happy to join them.

“I know it's a difficult period for the club and know the magnitude of the project that lies ahead, but when I got here, [with] the discussions I had with the president (Hicham Ait Menna) and board I was really convinced this is the right challenge. 

“Wydad now, I carry their dreams, I carry their pain because for the past two years the club has been going through a difficult period and so for the fans their pain has now become my pain, their dreams have become my dreams.

“I have to try to assimilate myself to the culture and try to carry the hopes and ambitions of an incredible club with incredible pedigree and history. 

“What the fans will know is I will feel every part of this club and day by day I fall more in love with the club just as I was in love with Mamelodi Sundowns. 

“As a coach you move but it's about how you leave and about leaving the [previous] club in a better place — I think I left Sundowns in a better place. Now I will try to give this club everything I can to try to help it dominate the space like they have in the past.” 

Wydad have not won Morocco’s Botola Pro league since 2021-2022, ending sixth last season. After being Caf Champions League winners in 2021-2022 and runners-up in 2022-2023, they exited in the group stage in 2023-24.