Orlando Pirates news: Mokwena embraces the pressure of the hot seat

Rhulani Mokwena was thrust into the Orlando Pirates unexpectedly, and now the spotlight is on him as he seeks to guide one of the country’s top club’s to glory.

The former Buccaneers assistant coach assumed head coach duties in August, following Milutin Sredojevic’s abrupt departure two years into a more successful second spell at the club.

Results haven’t all gone Mokwena’s way, and the battle for some consistency will have added on the existing pressure of heading one of South Africa’s most popular clubs.

Rhulani Mokwena embraces the pressure of the Orlando Pirates hot seat

However, the 32-year-old said he was grateful at the opportunity to head his childhood club, and has embraced the pressures that come with the position.

“There’s a lot of talk that, ‘He must run his own race’, and the expectation was that I run my race and start my race with smaller clubs, but God had a different plan and put me in a situation where I start running my race at a prestigious club like this,” said Mokwena.

“I’ve got to be grateful and humble to the management of the club for giving me this opportunity, but at the same time that comes with a huge responsibility and it’s like being put into a gold mine.

“But if you know process, and you understand the value of the most precious elements in the world – talk about platinum, gold, diamonds – they’ve all got to go through the process of heat, being cut and pressure.

“So, if you want to become a person of value or of credibility, you’ve got to withstand heat; you’ve got to be prepared to be cut and to go through the pressure, because you know what the outcome is most likely to be.

“I’m prepared to go through the deepest, darkest of gold mines, because it wouldn’t be for the first time, and I say it all the time that I’m here to serve.”

Rhulani Mokwena

Orlando Pirates are eighth on the league standings, having bagged just two victories in seven matches.

They will be looking for a vital three points against Stellenbosch FC at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.

Kick off is at 15:30.