Mokwena wasn’t shocked at his Sundowns exit

New Wydad Casablanca head coach Rulani Mokwena is adamant in his view that a sporting director can’t have the final say on transfer matters. Mokwena shockingly parted ways with Mamelodi Sundowns recently due to reports of a fallout with Flemming Berg.

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The 37-year-old has since found a new home in North Africa where he’s expected to bring back glory days at the three-time Caf Champions League winners. Although Mokwena didn’t want to be drawn into the much-publicised break in relations with Berg, he was clear about the roles both parties should play.

“It’s difficult for a coach to be accountable and not responsible. That’s what happens in football all over the world. It’s the coach who needs to be accountable for the results, it’s the coach who gets fired if the team doesn’t win,” argued Mokwena during an interview on Radio 2000.

“The president (of Wydad) showed me that they were actually in negotiations with three technical directors. He said to them that they’ll have to be interviewed by the new coach and the coach must approve. I don’t have a sporting director and I don’t have a technical director but if we do get one, it will be because we sat down and I did the interview.

“That responsibility has fortunately been given to us and the truth of the matter is that the sporting director either works very closely or parallel with the coach or works under the coach. A sporting director is never above the coach in football clubs.”

While his departure from the Brazilians came as a surprise to many, Mokwena reckons that the writing was on the wall despite winning the African Football League and DStv Premiership. Sundowns also qualified the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup under the former Orlando Pirates coach who guided them to a seventh successive league.

“No, it didn’t shock me because I could see the signs but coaches come and go,” he added.

“I do appreciate what Sundowns have done for me and I’ve said it even in my press conference that I would not be sitting at the second ranked best team on the continent and the biggest team in Morocco if it wasn’t for Dr Irvin Khoza at Pirates and Dr Patrice Motsepe at Sundowns.

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“I’ve got a lot of admiration and appreciation for everything they’ve done for me and that’s how I want to remember my time at both clubs and speak only about the positives because that’s the most important thing for me.”