Rulani Mokwena says the fact that he didn’t play professional football makes him work three times harder

To make up for the fact that he never played professional football, Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena says he works three times harder. 

Mokwena was speaking after the Brazilians beat Algerian side CR Belouizdad 2-1 in the second leg of their Champions League clash at Loftus on Saturday that was secured through goals by Themba Zwane and Thapelo Morena. 

As a result of their dominant 6-2 aggregate win over Belouizdad, Sundowns will make their first appearance in the tournament’s semifinal stage against defending champions Wydad Athletic Club. 

The last time Sundowns reached the last four, during the 2018/19 campaign, they were eliminated by Wydad — but the Brazilians will fancy their chances after the Moroccans needed penalty shoot-outs to beat Tanzanian side Simba 4-3. 

“I know the race that I am running very well and PSL coaches will tell you that I am probably the one who is the least spoken,” he said when explaining how the fact that he never played professional football is a disadvantage for him. 

“I really try to respect a coach like Gavin Hunt, who has won so much over the years and has played football at the highest level in the country and has coached so many teams. 

“There are coaches who have done an incredible work and have achieved incredible things, more than I have, and maybe are way better than I could ever be. 

“I know my handicaps and the fact is that I am young, I am black and I have never played professional football. All these things I am very much aware of and that’s what makes me work three times as hard.  

“I know that I have to make up for so many handicaps, but what helps is that I also have a very good team, good players and good support from the football club with management, the technical team. 

“That makes a huge difference in terms of making up for some of the handicaps.” 

During matches like the 2-1 win over Belouizdad, where they led 4-1 from the first leg and there was a risk of complacency, Mokwena said he relies on the players. 

“One of my biggest disadvantages is that [because] I never played professional football, some of these things I have not lived. So I have huge expectations, but from a psychological perspective I can just imagine how difficult it is. 

“I have a reliance on speaking to the players — I have to speak, I have to feel and sense where they are and what they think about the game and then try to be emotionally sober. 

“The feeling I had in the first half before they scored was that we were closer to scoring than they were. I thought we were in control. The only disappointment of the first half is the extra first five minutes after they scored, emotionally we were rattled a little bit. 

“We had to continue playing and then fortunately we didn’t bleed a lot around the box because if you bleed a lot around the box against North African sides, they get free-kicks, they get corners, they smell blood and then they go for the second and that could have complicated issues. 

“But after that we then stabilised ourselves again. We showed very good leadership and the senior players took charge of the game again and we scored a very good goal from Mshishi [Zwane].”