Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena has explained why is always a little more emotional when playing against Orlando Pirates.
The two South Africans giants will clash on Saturday night in Tshwane, as the DStv Premiership resumes this weekend for the first time since going on break at the end of 2023.
Mokwena told the media this week that he always has extra emotions when playing against Pirates, a club that he has strong ties too.
While he worked as an assistant and head coach at Pirates, his ties stem back further with his father, Julius Sono, uncle, Jomo Sono, and grandfather, Eric Sono, all being former Bucs players.
“The good thing is I always ask the players just before we play Pirates, I tell them, ‘forgive me’ even before we start,” Mokwena told the media.
“I ask them to forgive me because I know my emotions hit the rooftop. So, I am not the same coach when we prepare for pirates, and they know that, because they know me very well.
“And unfortunately, it’s one of those games that there’s far too much to it. And it’s very difficult to become less emotional. There’s still people at that club that I fully respect and I like. The chairman will always be someone that’s very special to me.
“And the club itself from a family perspective. It is a club that’s got so many connotations to my family and what some of the members of my family are today it is because of Orlando Pirates. So I can never ever, ever go into a space where I disrespect Orlando Pirates, because the first person that would fight me is my great grandfather, he will turn in his grave.
“And so everything that I do, and at every point I’ve got to show respect and humility to towards Pirates, but of course, my allegiance and my responsibility now is towards Mamelodi Sundowns and I have to give everything that I can to make sure that we are ready, but also to make sure that we win.
“Because that’s the mentality and that’s always the responsibility, it is to give the very best that I can to a club that I love, because I love Mamelodi Sundowns and I want Mamelodi Sundowns to win every single match and to win every single trophy, because before I’m a Sundowns coach, I’m a Sundowns fan because of the love that I’ve grown to have for this football club.
“So it’s very very important that I remain focused on the most important things and the most important things is the preparation, is the energy, is the intensity and make sure that we are in the right space to win the match.”
