TS Galaxy chairman Tim Sukazi is backing newly-appointed Wydad AC head coach Rulani Mokwena to take his coaching career to Europe.
Sukazi emphasized his stance that every coach should be qualified to be able to coach locally, and praised Mokwena and others like Fadlu Davids for taking a leap of faith of coaching beyond South Africa borders, saying it is also because they have the right qualifications to go to top teams on the continent.
The club president predicts that Mokwena won’t have it as smooth as he did at former side Mamelodi Sundowns, however adds that the 37-year-old and other coaches need support to be just as good as someone who has been successful like Pitso Mosimane.
“I would like to see him coaching there [Europe] one day, a coach like him or any other talented coach like him,” Sukazi told journalist on the sidelines of the Mpumalanga Premier’s International Cup.
“So he has taken the first step in that he needs our support, it’s not going to be easy. I don’t think for him it’s going to be as smooth sailing as it was at Sundowns. You know, here you can do things the South African way, you can relate to this player, that player, you know be very close and holding. But yes players in foreign markets respond differently, more especially in our Arabic nations.
“But then he now will learn obviously to reconfigure his methods and approach of player management and coaching in the field. You can rant in a particular way to a South African player, probably not the same to a player in Morocco, for example. But he’s a sharp guy, smart one that we have as a country and he will adjust and he will do us proud.
“Coach, Pitso has done it and his records are there for everyone to see. So he has done us proud. So, now I think we are heading towards the right direction.
“Coaches are being recognised in many countries in the continent where the level of support is quite high in Morocco, Egypt, I think are amongst the best in the continent. So they are there. Let’s support them, let’s yield and produce more of such coaches. So it’s something that can only happen if our coaches are educated,” he further said.
Mokwena penned a two-year deal with with the three-time African Champions following his shock exit from Sundowns.
