Former Wydad Casablanca coach Rulani Mokwena has responded to links with Orlando Pirates, revealing whether he’d consider taking the vacant head coach role at the Soweto giants.
The 38-year-old tactician has been unattached since departing Moroccan giants Wydad AC in April, ending a brief one-season stay in North Africa.
He had joined the ‘Le Wydad’ at the beginning of the campaign, having abruptly parted ways with Mamelodi Sundowns.
As he was rebuilding the team, Mokwena had a bit of an inconsistent run during his tenure at Wydad, winning 14 matches, drawing 14 and losing seven in all competitions. As a result, he was shown the exit door as the club ended the season without a trophy.
With Pirates on the hunt for Jose Riveiro’s successor, Mokwena, who is actively looking for a new club before the 2025/26 season begins, has emerged as a potential candidate.
However, the former Sundowns coach stated he has no knowledge of whether the Buccaneers are interested in his services.
“No, I don’t know. I’ve just arrived back in the country,” said Mokwena on Soccer Africa on SuperSport. “To be honest, I don’t know…”
RULANI MOKWENA – ‘DR KHOZA IS NUMBER ONE’
When asked whether he would consider taking the Pirates coaching job, he said, “Of course, I would consider it. It’s a big club, and it still has people who are very close to me and to my heart.
“I’m very, very fond of Dr [Irvin] Khoza, very fond and he will always have a very special place in my heart. I’ve been fortunate enough that, as a coach, I’ve learnt a lot about leadership from the best football leaders on the continent.
“Dr Khoza is number one, for sure, general knowledge, history, geography, football, humanity, religion and everything.
“Dr Patrice Motsepe, the things that he taught me, the same. Another one is [Hicham Ait Mena], the president of Wydad Casablanca, an incredible human being. I really enjoyed my time working for the president of Wydad.”
Mokwena has previously worked at Pirates as an assistant coach to Milutin Sredojevic [2017-2019] and as an interim coach after the Serbian coach’s exit in 2019.
RELATED STORY: Rulani Mokwena opens up on post-Wydad future