Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena has shared insights into his past, revealing that before stepping into the coaching realm, he had aspirations as a centre-back in his playing days.
Although he never made it onto the professional stage, the 37-year-old believes that with guidance similar to what he now offers, his playing career might have flourished.
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Despite this, Mokwena expresses contentment with his current path, especially after securing the DStv Premiership title, marking a significant triumph over rivals Kaizer Chiefs last week.
Reflecting on his playing days, Mokwena stated, “Yeah, (laughs). I was a centre-back. I was relatively good and I think I tried to be the coach I needed to be at the time. I think if I had a coach like myself who pushed me, who really pushed me and try to improve, I probably would’ve played professional football,” Mokwena told GameOn on Radio 2000.
“But God had other plans so it’s just to accept the fact that I was redirected into a different direction and just to fulfill those objectives,” Mokwena said.
The Brazilians are poised to potentially add another trophy to their collection as they prepare to host Orlando Pirates in the upcoming Nedbank Cup final, having dispatched Stellenbosch FC in the semi-finals. This season, Masandawana have already claimed two titles: the inaugural African Football League and the Premiership.
Mokwena, who previously faced criticism for challenging his players to achieve 1000 passes in a game, explains that the concept originated from Johan Cruyff. According to Mokwena, Cruyff's philosophy was to neutralize the opponent's strengths, such as an intimidating crowd, by dominating ball possession and silencing spectators, thereby gaining an upper hand on the field.
“Well, it comes from Johan Cruyff. There’s a book I once read of Johan Cruyff and he speaks of how to kill off certain strengths of the opponents.
“So, if the opponents have a very vicious crowd for example, a crowd that gets on your back and generates extra excitement on the pitch,” Mokwena said.
“The best way to silence the crowd is to dominate the ball and have as many passes and be in possession for as long as possible so that the crowd can get on its' own team's (back) and then you’ll have a bit more dominance and minimiZe the possibilities and advantage they might have.
“So, that’s where it comes from, it’s just me learning all the time and drawing inspiration and small, small details from some of the people who have used these to great effect and have succeeded while using them,” he added.
As the newly crowned champions, the Tshwane giants are set to continue their campaign, facing Golden Arrows in their upcoming league match on Wednesday.
Mokwena's journey from a potential player to a successful coach illustrates the unpredictable nature of football careers and the importance of adaptability and continuous learning.
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