Rulani Mokwena with Sundowns at Casablanca. Image via X @iDiskiTimes
Rulani asks for four years to try and win CAFCL trophy at Sundowns
Rulani is under pressure to win the CAF Champions Leauge given the resources at his disposal at Sundowns.
Rulani Mokwena with Sundowns at Casablanca. Image via X @iDiskiTimes
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena has asked for four years to try and win the CAF Champions League for the team.
Mokwena was speaking to the media, as per SowetanLIVE, following Sundowns’ 2-1 win over Sekhukhune United on Tuesday.
With the perception that Sundowns should easily win the CAF Champions League given their expensive quality squad, Mokwena has a different view.
The 37-year-old mentor said it wasn’t even easy for Pitso Mosimane to win the continental trophy with Sundowns as it took him four years to achieve that mandate.
Mosimane had arrived at Sundowns in 2012 but he only delivered the CAF Champions League trophy in 2016.
Mokwena feel fans sometimes don’t understand Champions League football when they criticise the Sundowns team if they don’t reach the final let alone win it.
PEOPLE DON’T UNDERSTAND CHAMPIONS LEAGUE – RULANI
“I have the feeling that we don’t understand the Champions League. I look at the Champions League with a different perspective because I have been here before,” said Mokwena.
“I was an assistant coach to the previous coach [Pitso Mosimane] for a very long time and the last coach was here for eight years. He had eight years [four from 2012 to 2016] to try and win the Champions League and we only won the competition once [2016].
“We only played the semi-final two times because the other time, we got into the final. But after that, in eight years, we only played the semi-final once and lost.
“This is my second season and we’ve done back-to-back semi-finals already and sometimes I have that feeling that people don’t appreciate that because of how they perceive the expectations.”
MOKWENA PLEADS FOR FOUR YEARS FROM SUNDOWNS FANS
Mokwena further suggested that people shouldn’t hammer him if Sundowns fail to win this year’s CAF Champions League, and asked for four years to try and win it.
He said that as Sundowns prepare to take on Esperance de Tunis in the second leg at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Friday night.
Kick-off is at 20:00.
Esperance lead Sundowns 1-0 from the first leg, meaning Mokwena’s charges need to win by a two-goal margin to advance to the final.
“If you look at the profile of the teams in the Champions League, there are 21 titles among the last four. Al Ahly with 11, TP Mazembe with five, Esperance with four and then Sundowns with one,” continued Mokwena.
“Now, what gives us the right to think it’s just going to be a walk in the park and win the competition? We have to work hard for it. I got a four-year contract here and all I’m asking for from the Sundowns fans is give me four years to try and win.
“I’m not asking for eight. Give me four years to try and win the Champions League. It’s going to happen. It’s not going to be easy. It’s not going to be a win all the time,” he concluded.
