Muhsin Ertugral feels it will be difficult to separate Rulani Mokwena and Jose Riveiro in the battle for the Coach of the Season accolade, especially if the Buccaneers finish second and bag the Nedbank Cup.
“It’s a difficult choice. Obviously, only two candidates deserve it, Jose and Rulani. Both are very successful this season and obviously the finish line for me will decide the winner. Winning the second cup will obviously be a great achievement for Jose but… winning the league and maybe the Champions League is bigger than that [in fact the Champions League doesn’t count in PSL awards],” Ertugral told Sowetan.
Ertugral won this award with Ajax Cape Town in the 2006/07 season. Mokwena has inspired Mamelodi Sundowns to their sixth league title on the trot in what is his maiden season as a sole coach.
Mokwena only started flying solo when the Brazillians had already played 11 league games under the previous coaching format of co-coaches. The 36-year-old Mokwena has broken a number of records this season, including becoming the first PSL coach to win the first 10 games.
On the other hand, Riveiro, 47, has already won the MTN8, where he humiliated Sundowns in the semifinals, in what is his first season in the country. The Spaniard has already turned doubters into believers, having arrived in SA as an unknown.
It goes without saying that winning the Nedbank Cup, where they face Sekhukhune United in the final at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on May 27, and finishing as runners-up, would mean Pirates have had a near-perfect campaign.
In the 2020/21 term, the PSL awards’ judges gave this gong to Benni McCarthy for merely helping AmaZulu finish second, overlooking the league winning Sundowns co-coaches in Mokwena and Manqoba Mngqithi.
McCarthy’s win could have set a dangerous precedent that now in Riveiro you have a coach who could boast two trophies and a second-spot finish at the end of the season. Some feel it may also count against Mokwena that he didn’t start the season as a sole head coach.
Ertugral added that “both coaches Rulani and Jose have done a fantastic job and hopefully with these achievements the level of SA football will go up. Rivalry is important and makes the teams perform to higher levels".
'Mokwena, Riveiro equally deserve best coach award'
Ertugral says the finish line will decide the winner
Image: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images
Muhsin Ertugral feels it will be difficult to separate Rulani Mokwena and Jose Riveiro in the battle for the Coach of the Season accolade, especially if the Buccaneers finish second and bag the Nedbank Cup.
“It’s a difficult choice. Obviously, only two candidates deserve it, Jose and Rulani. Both are very successful this season and obviously the finish line for me will decide the winner. Winning the second cup will obviously be a great achievement for Jose but… winning the league and maybe the Champions League is bigger than that [in fact the Champions League doesn’t count in PSL awards],” Ertugral told Sowetan.
Ertugral won this award with Ajax Cape Town in the 2006/07 season. Mokwena has inspired Mamelodi Sundowns to their sixth league title on the trot in what is his maiden season as a sole coach.
Mokwena only started flying solo when the Brazillians had already played 11 league games under the previous coaching format of co-coaches. The 36-year-old Mokwena has broken a number of records this season, including becoming the first PSL coach to win the first 10 games.
On the other hand, Riveiro, 47, has already won the MTN8, where he humiliated Sundowns in the semifinals, in what is his first season in the country. The Spaniard has already turned doubters into believers, having arrived in SA as an unknown.
It goes without saying that winning the Nedbank Cup, where they face Sekhukhune United in the final at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on May 27, and finishing as runners-up, would mean Pirates have had a near-perfect campaign.
In the 2020/21 term, the PSL awards’ judges gave this gong to Benni McCarthy for merely helping AmaZulu finish second, overlooking the league winning Sundowns co-coaches in Mokwena and Manqoba Mngqithi.
McCarthy’s win could have set a dangerous precedent that now in Riveiro you have a coach who could boast two trophies and a second-spot finish at the end of the season. Some feel it may also count against Mokwena that he didn’t start the season as a sole head coach.
Ertugral added that “both coaches Rulani and Jose have done a fantastic job and hopefully with these achievements the level of SA football will go up. Rivalry is important and makes the teams perform to higher levels".
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