‘A lot of people said to me: ‘Don’t go to Wydad, there’s lots of problems’ – Rulani Mokwena

A chorus of warnings echoed in Rulani Mokwena’s ears – “Don’t go to Wydad, there are lots of problems!” – but the SA coach remained unfazed, explaining his decision to join the club despite the whispers of internal turmoil.

Moroccan giants Wydad Casablanca announced the appointment of Mokwena as their new head coach on Thursday. The Soweto-born coach put pen to paper on a contract that will keep him at Wydad until 2027.

This move comes after Mokwena’s recent shock departure from Mamelodi Sundowns, where he secured a record-extending seventh consecutive Premiership title last season. But his exit at the Tshwane giants was not entirely smooth.

It was reported that he disagreed with the club’s sporting director, Flemming Berg, regarding player recruitment, youth development, and the overall direction of the club.

At his new club, Mokwena shoulders the weight of expectation. He is tasked with not only restoring Wydad’s dominance in Moroccan football but also reigniting their flame on the continental stage.

However, Mokwena is well aware that this will not be easy and is not naive about the hurdles that lie ahead.

The club’s president, Said Naciri, is currently behind bars as part of a drug trafficking investigation. He faces serious charges, including “forgery of official documents, possession and distribution of drugs, and the use of counterfeit cheques.” This casts doubts over Wydad’s stability and creates uncertainty about future leadership

Financial constraints further complicate the picture. The limited transfer window activity left Wydad’s squad thinner than ideal. Coming off a trophyless 2023/24 season and failing to qualify for the CAF Champions League only intensifies the pressure.

However, there is a potential silver lining: Due to their high CAF ranking, Wydad will participate in the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup 2025, scheduled for June and July in the USA.

Wydad, as Mokwena knows, is a club with a notoriously short fuse when it comes to underachievement. The fans crave immediate success, and the clock starts ticking from the moment the opening whistle blows.

RULANI MOKWENA Embracing the Challenge at Wydad

Despite warnings about Wydad Casablanca’s internal struggles, Mokwena, known for his tactical acumen, expressed confidence in his decision to join the club.

The former Orlando Pirates coach emphasised that discussions with club management and his own research have prepared him for the challenges ahead.

“It’s quite a complicated situation that we have here,” admitted Mokwena in his first press conference as Wydad coach alongside the club’s current president, Hicham Ait Menna.

“I’ve done quite a lot of research, I’ve spoken to quite a lot of people, and I even said a lot of people said to me, ‘Don’t go to Wydad; there are lots of problems’. But I spoke to the board, I spoke to the chairman, the president, and I spoke to my agent. And I know all the mitigating factors that the club faced last season.

“All the issues that came up in the past, I have been promised by the president [Ait Menna], whom I get a very good feeling from is that those are issues of the past and these are now times we are going to transition, we look for change.

Mokwena added, “We’re going to have to put in a lot of work, a lot of hands-on deck, and push ourselves more. But at the same time, we are excited about the new direction we are taking.”

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