The move of former Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena to MC Alger this season marked a noticeable shift.
South African coaches are increasingly being trusted in North Africa, something that was almost unheard of a few years ago.
Mokwena himself worked his way through Chloorkop, moved to Wydad Casablanca in Morocco, and now leads one of Algeria’s biggest clubs, while Fadlu Davids is in charge of Raja Casablanca.
RULANI MOKWENA CREDITS HIS FORMER MAMELODI SUNDOWNS MENTOR PITSO MOSIMANE
According to Mokwena the acceptance didn’t begin with his own move abroad. The foundations were laid earlier, long before he left Sundowns.
Chatting with South African Football Journalists’ Association (SAFJA), Mokwena believes Pitso Mosimane’s success at Al Ahly was the catalyst.
“Coach Pitso had a big influence on that,” Mokwena said as quoted by iDiski Times. “His success with Al Ahly was probably the door opener… not only in terms of results in the Champions League, but also the way he worked and carried himself.”
For Mokwena, Mosimane’s ability to navigate the pressure, expectations and intensity of Africa’s most demanding club became a reference point for decision-makers in the region.
“It showed that South African coaches do have the capacity to manage in the North and to deal with the pressure from big clubs and supporters,” the former Sundowns mentor continued.
The respect is not only professional but personal. Mokwena, who served as Mosimane’s assistant at Sundowns during their dominant spell, credits much of his development to that period.
“I was fortunate to work with him for many years… to be honest, I owe a lot of who I am today to him,” Mokwena added.
Mosimane remains the only coach in CAF Champions League history to win the title three times: in 2016 with Sundowns, and twice with Ahly in 2020 and 2021.
Meanwhile in Algeria, Mokwena’s MC Alger are enjoying a fine start in the Algerian Ligue 1, with 11 games unbeaten and are top with two points and three games in hand. Alger are in Group C of the CAFCL alongside Sundowns, Al Hilal and Saint-Eloi Lupopo.
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