Mokwena issues apology for Caf disappointment

Winning the Nedbank Cup to complete a domestic league and cup double will still not make up for the Caf Champions League disappointment. That’s according to Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena who is still hurt by their failure to reach the final of Africa’s prestigious club competition.

The Brazilians have already bagged the DStv Premiership and the African Football League this season. Orlando Pirates stand in their way of a third piece of silverware at the end of the campaign.

The Buccaneers and Sundowns will renew rivalries in the Nedbank Cup final at the Mbombela Stadium on June 1 in what will be a repeat of the MTN8 final.

“No, I’m still reeling and I’m talking personally. Someone tried to console me and said you have a double already with the AFL and the league so why are you still reeling? But I’m reeling because I feel like I’ve let the club down, let the supporters down and this group down because it’s my job to lead,” Mokwena answered when asked if domestic success  will soften the pain of the champions league semifinal defeat to Esperance.

“When we fail, it’s my job to stand in front and assume the responsibility so I don’t think it will make up for it. We deserved to be in the semifinals of the champions league and based on the performance in the second leg, I think we did enough to give ourselves a chance to be in the final but things didn’t go our way.

“When I say you need luck in the Champions League, that’s exactly what I mean. I’ve got to accept but it doesn’t minimise the pain and I’ve already apologised to the club and I can apologise again for that failure and take it on my shoulders but that doesn’t mean you don’t try again because eventually we will win the Champions League”

A whirlwind

Mokwena reflected on a week that has seen them go through a whirlwind of emotions from crashing out of the Champions League and then winning the league six days later following a victory against Kaizer Chiefs.

“It’s been tough, amazing and a roller coaster ride. We won the league and the next day at training Ronwen Williams told to me to smile a little bit. I said to him that in good moments I try and I’ve learned this because I’ve failed so many times,” he said.

“When you live life, you experience more failures than successes. What that teaches you is that in the good moments, you’re not too high but also in bad moments you’re not too low.

“That’s why I’m a big stoic fan because you learn to accept what is and understand that you can only make so much of an influence in relation to events. I focus on the things I can control which is the work ethic, intensity, tactics, watching games and training sessions. I put 100% focus on those things.”