“Not About Money”: Rhulani Mokwena Explains Why He Chose MC Alger Over Gulf Clubs
Rhulani Mokwena has opened up about his decision to join Algerian giants Mouloudia Club d’Alger (MC Alger), marking his return to North African football after a brief spell with Wydad Casablanca.
Mokwena Acknowledges North Africa’s High-Pressure Coaching Environment
The South African coach recently signed a two-year contract with the Algerian powerhouse. Speaking on Metro FM on Monday, Mokwena admitted that coaching in North Africa comes with pressure and instability, but he’s more than ready for the challenge.
“I’m excited, you know, and I’m looking forward to being out on the pitch, to coaching top players again, and to working under pressure,” said Mokwena.
Mokwena revealed that after turning down several offers from clubs in the Gulf region, he picked MC Alger because it ticked important boxes for his career. After leaving Wydad, Mokwena and his agent Steve Kapeluschnik had a serious sit-down to reflect on mistakes made at Wydad and what they wanted next.
Rhulani Mokwena Explains Why He Chose MC Alger Over Gulf Clubs
He explained that MC Alger appealed to him because it offered Champions League football, a competitive squad, passionate fans, and a club leadership that impressed him during discussions.
“If you move from Sundowns and you go to Wydad, which is tougher than Sundowns and is a different challenge, you are expecting to grow and be challenged by something even more difficult than the Wydad challenge, and there’s not a lot out there because the motivation, certainly, is not money or fame or anything like that; it’s a passion for football, which is why at the end, you know, I said to the people close to me that, actually, I’m not going to take a sabbatical. Because when the offer came, I was very close to saying, ‘I’d take some time off. I’d take a season, and I’d travel a little bit’, and they were laughing because I said to them, ‘I’ll actually have more fun in Algeria, even if it lasts for six months, than I’d have fun sitting at home,” he said.
Also read: Rhulani Mokwena Brings Trusted Backroom Staff to MC Alger
Mokwena Brings New Technical Team to Algeria
Mokwena is building a strong backroom staff. He’s bringing in 29-year-old Belgian Enzo Donis, who leaves his role with Togo’s national team to become one of Mokwena’s assistants. Two South Africans are also joining him—Wendell Robinson will handle goalkeepers, and Sibusiso Mahlangu will focus on fitness. Mokwena added that some local Algerian coaches would remain on the technical bench to keep continuity within the team.
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The post “Not About Money”: Rhulani Mokwena Explains Why He Chose MC Alger Over Other Clubs appeared first on iHarare News.
