Rulani Mokwena has responded to the salary figures being bandied about following his move to Libyan giants Al Ittihad Tripoli.
Al Ittihad confirmed Mokwena’s appointment as head coach just days after his departure from Algeria’s MC Alger, where he had enjoyed a successful stint.
The former Mamelodi Sundowns mentor parted ways with the Algerian side over the weekend, with just 10 matches remaining in the season. During his tenure, he guided the club to Algerian Super Cup glory and left them sitting at the top of the league standings.
Mokwena now links up again with Thembinkosi Lorch at the 18-time Libyan Premier League champions, as he begins a new chapter in North Africa.
Reports suggest that the South African coach is earning a net salary of approximately US$100,000 [approximately R1.6 million] per month in Libya. However, Mokwena has dismissed the speculation. Instead, he insisted that financial gain was not a motivating factor behind his departure from MC Alger.
“Well, I was already being paid a salary at Mouloudia,” Mokwena told Robert Marawa on Radio 947. “The money is, if anybody knows me and speaks to the people that know me, I worked at Wydad for 8-9 months without a salary. I’m not moved by money, believe me. There was a lot more on the table than just the financial perks, and people don’t even know.”
WHAT RULANI MOKWENA SAID ABOUT THE SALARY REPORTS
“I see the numbers that are being bandied about, and I just laugh. I sometimes wish that’s what they were offering,” said Mokwena.
He added: “It’s far from it. There’s a lot more from a sporting perspective. There’s a lot more from a possibility to do more, to stretch myself more, to test myself more and to challenge ourselves more. Also, to work with people who have made incredible sacrifices and contributions to me personally and to also help those people expand their careers and grow more. And maybe the question can be loyalty.”
The 39-year-old coach said he knows “what being loyal to a football club means”. “I know what being loyal to a football club has gotten me. And sometimes you have to make decisions not from that perspective. History has taught me … I was loyal to many a football club in my career, and that was not a reward. There was no reward thereafter. But in this moment, I thought to extend a helping hand to a community in Libya to help a football club that is trying to revive itself…”
Mokwena concluded that his decision was driven by a deeper purpose beyond football. He is pointing to the broader social and political impact the game can have. He emphasised his admiration for the club and acknowledged Libya’s challenges, while highlighting football’s unique ability to unite and uplift people.
The former Mamelodi Sundowns coach noted that success at one of the country’s most supported and decorated clubs could carry significant meaning for the nation, Mokwena also added that the opportunity to make a positive and lasting contribution was far more important than many might realise.
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