Simba SC head coach Fadlu Davids has explained why Rulani Mokwena is the ‘perfect fit’ for the coaching job at Orlando Pirates.
Pirates are searching for a coach to replace the outgoing Jose Riveiro, who bid his farewell to the club on Tuesday night.
The Spanish tactician was on the bench for the last time when the Buccaneers claimed an emphatic 3-0 win over Golden Arrows in the Betway Premiership at Orlando Stadium.
Tshegofatso Mabasa, Bandile Shandu, and Kabelo Dlamini were on the scoresheet to hand Riveiro a perfect send-off.
Earlier this week, Pirates announced that the highly-rated mentor requested for early release from his contract to join a new club.
Media reports are linking Jose Riveiro with a big move to Egyptian giants Al Ahly to replace Marcel Koller, who was fired a few weeks ago.
Riveiro spent three seasons with the Soweto giants, having joined in July 2022. In his successful stay at Pirates, the 49-year-old coach won three successive MTN8 trophies and two Nedbank Cup titles.
WHAT FADLU DAVIDS SAID ABOUT RULANI MOKWENA FOR PIRATES’ JOB
With the Ghosts looking for a coach to take over from Riveiro, Davids has earmarked Rulani Mokwena as the best candidate for the job, revealing that his style of play is suitable for the club.
The former Mamelodi Sundowns coach is also on his way out of Wydad Casablanca after spending just one season in Morocco.
“Pirates shouldn’t look no further than coach Rulani, I think he’ll be the perfect fit because he knows the club and the chairman [Dr Irvin Khoza],” Davids said on Mike Morton Talks Football YouTube channel.
“He plays the type of football that Orlando Pirates enjoys. Over his period with Micho [Milutin Sredojević], they built a very competitive team that challenged Mamelodi Sundowns.
“I think this is a perfect moment. He’s matured a lot as a coach. He had a tough time with Wydad, but that will only make him stronger. I think it’s a perfect moment for him to build his own thing at Orlando Pirates because at that time, it was him and Micho. When he took over, it was tough at that moment.”
Mokwena previously had a stint with Pirates between 2017 and 2020 as assistant coach to Milutin Sredojević and also served as an interim coach.
Meanwhile, Davids also had a spell with Pirates between 2018 and 2019 as an assistant coach to Josef Zinnbauer and co-coach alongside Mandla Ncikazi.
RELATED STORY: Former Pirates coach Fadlu Davids set to join new club