Wydad Athletic Club winger Thembinkosi Lorch has opened up on his relationship with former coach Rulani Mokwena, who he has worked with at three clubs already.
Lorch, 31, joined Wydad from Mamelodi Sundowns in January on a six-month loan and is part of their 2025 FIFA Club World Cup squad alongside compatriot Cassius Mailula, who is on loan from FC Toronto.
Both were signed by Rulani Mokwena, who parted ways with the club before the end of the 2024/25 season as they finished third in the Botola Pro.
Lorch admits it wasn’t easy arriving in Morocco as an unknown figure to many in the country, needing to prove himself, but admitted he could always go to Mokwena for advice.
“It’s not easy coming from South Africa to Morocco, where in South Africa everyone knows me, so when I came here, nobody knew me, I had to adjust, my teammates and coaches welcomed me well in the team and even the supporters, I have fitted in well,” Lorch said.
“I worked with coach Rulani even before Sundowns, I used to play for Pirates where he coached me and when he went to Sundowns, he fetched me from Pirates to Sundowns.
“So I think for me he’s like a brother to me, father figure, friend, everytime I had problems I would go to him for advice. I think he made it easier for me to fit well into the team.”
Lorch then opened up on their trip to the United States of America and called upon their fanatic fanbase to support them, after a indifferent domestic campaign that finished without silverware ahead of a difficult Group G with Juventus, Al Ain and Manchester City.
“I think it’s going to be nice it’s going to be a good experience and I would like to see Wydad fans coming all the way to support us, it will be very motivating for us to keep going,” Lorch stated.
“We need them, if we don’t well, we need their support, when they are at the stadium we have extra motivation so we need all of them.”
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