Mokwena seals new four-year Downs deal
SOUTH African football aristocrats Mamelodi Sundowns have given coach Rulani Mokwena a vote of confidence by giving him a four-year contract.
It is a profound show of trust in Mokwena that the club has chosen him to be at the helm for the next four seasons.
After Mokwena's appointment as sole head coach of the team a few months ago, he guided Sundowns to an unprecedented sixth consecutive Premiership title with seven games to spare as Masandawana claimed a 13th league crown.
First-team coach Steve Komphela and senior coach Manqoba Mngqithi will be key members of Mokwena's technical staff, and they have been offered one-year contracts.
Before the club offered him the new contract, Mokwena told the media that he knew he would be around next season.
“The club will make an announcement,” said Mokwena.
“I love this club. I am falling in love with it every single day. I get incredible support from the club, the chairman, the Motsepe family and the board.
“And there's a very good relationship with the players. What more can a coach ask for?”
Moments after signing the contract, Mokwena spoke about the players displaying versatility in occupying different positions.
“We want to play faster and when you want to play faster, there's going to be more chaos than order,” said Mokwena.
“Because of pressure, one might be found pressing in a position that is much further than their original position. So, because I moved far from that position when we lose the ball, a player like Aubrey Modiba must defend in the midfield and defend as a left-back.
“I agree that versatility in the modern game is important. With this, players need to be comfortable on the pitch and still be dominant in the game against the opposition.
“It's also crucial for the players to trust the coach because they only trust you when you show that you can be trusted as a leader. The coach then has the responsibility to ensure that he earns the trust of the players.”
Mokwena said that for the last league game against Maritzburg United, he changed the way the team was supposed to play on the day before the game after their training session. He made Rivaldo Coetzee play two positions during that game.
He applauded Rivaldo's ability to play as a centre-back and as a midfielder in the same game and highlighted how the trust between them made the transition possible.
He said that Thapelo Morena and Themba Zwane have played the most positions during the 2022/23 season.