Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena has paid a heartfelt tribute
to Pitso Mosimane, crediting his former mentor as the trailblazer who paved
the way for South African coaches and players to succeed in North African
football.
Speaking at a South African Football Journalists Association briefing,
Mokwena reflected on the profound impact of Mosimane’s historic tenure at
Egyptian giants Al Ahly. He argued that Mosimane’s success there—which
included winning back-to-back CAF Champions League titles—was a watershed
moment that shifted continental perceptions.
“I think Coach Pitso had a big influence in that. His success with Al Ahly
was probably the door opener,” Mokwena stated. “Not only just the success on
the pitch… but also with regards to his work and his conduct as a
professional coach and his ability to manage a big changing room.”
Mokwena emphasized that Mosimane’s achievements demonstrated that South
African coaches possess the capacity to handle the immense pressure and high
expectations at the continent’s biggest clubs.
“It showed that South African coaches do have the capacity to manage in the
north and deal with the pressures of managing big clubs with a lot of
pressure from the fans… And so Coach Pitso, for sure, deserves a lot of
credit for opening the way,” he added.
The two share a deep professional history, having worked together on the
technical team that led Mamelodi Sundowns to their iconic CAF Champions
League victory in 2016. Mokwena acknowledged that his time with Mosimane was
foundational to his own development.
“I was fortunate enough to have worked with him for many, many, many years.
And so I know the man and to be honest, I owe a lot of who I am today to
him,” Mokwena said. “From that perspective, I could say that was one of the
biggest things.”
