Now, some coaches in the DStv Premiership have taken aim at Mamelodi Sundowns’ success, saying it is all down to the wealth of the club’s owner, billionaire Patrice Motsepe.
Motsepe has since left all of Masandawana’s duties and appointed his son, Tlhopie, as club chairman to replace the former head of the Confederation of African Football.
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Rulani Mokwena, who has done a stellar job as Masandawana’s head coach since his appointment in October last year, says perhaps it is time to change his tune and tone down.
Mokwena said it did not bother him when his partner said that Downs was successful because it was supported by Motsepe’s wealth. But what surprised Mokwena was how comfortable his fellow coaches were when they broke down the work they were doing at Chloorkop.
– Potential weaknesses –
“It doesn’t frustrate me because it’s the truth. If it’s a lie it would frustrate me. Maybe I’m still wet behind the ears but my grandma told me not to be humble because people will think I’m weak and a coward,” said Mokwena.
“Maybe my weakness is that I praise my players instead of praising myself and I will do this as long as I am a football coach because I know that the game belongs to the players.
“I didn’t play and maybe the mistake was that I was too humble and that’s what gave me the confidence to speak the same way. But it’s okay because at the end of the day what he said [are the results on the pitch],” he added.
– Money and success –
Coach Bafana Ba Style continued to reference the conversation between Juventus’ Leonardo Bonnuci and Gianluigi Buffon, speaking in the giant Italian docu-series, All or Nothing.
This is to further illuminate money does not buy success, as suggested by Chippa United head coach Morgan Mammila, who said even if you promise players a bonus of R50 000 per game, they will not win all the games.
“In the Juventus series ‘All or Nothing. Bonucci sat down with Gianluigi Buffon and they talked about modern football. In the end, Leonardo Bonucci said that the truth is on the field. Nine out of 10, the coach who praises himself as the top coach and gives the spotlight is on us, not as we say,” Mokwena said.
– ‘Don’t be the best coach’ –
The former coach of Orlando Pirates then accepted that he could not be the best coach in the league – after all, he still had to prove himself as a sole coach because all the official titles on his CV were won as a head coach or an assistant. .
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However, the writing is on the wall that the league crown is most likely to remain at Chloorkop and it will be Mokwena’s first title as sole head coach.
“I may not be the best coach in this league, in their opinion, but I can challenge everyone – I am definitely the hardest working coach. I don’t have a social life, I am very interested in football and with the Sundowns team,” said Mokwena.
“I really want to try to improve the team. I belong to a WhatsApp group where there are coaches who train at the highest level and I learn. As long as I have that mentality, the opinion of people will not be different from the way I see myself, the team and my work,” said Mokwena .