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HomeBetway PremiershipRulani Receives Massive Praise From Downs Legend

Rulani Receives Massive Praise From Downs Legend

Mamelodi Sundowns legend Surprise Moriri has praised head coach Rulani Mokoena for his bravery to field young players and promote them from the development ranks.

The first team has often benefited from their buying power but recently the promotion of young players from their development sides has added a whole new layer to the squad.  

This past season saw the likes of Cassius Mailula, Siyabonga Mabena, Ntando Nkosi, Siyanda Nyanga, Thando Buthelezi and Jerome Karelse promoted to the first team.

Mailula has been the standout name had a fantastic debut season, playing 18 league matches, two in the Nedbank Cup and also featuring in the MTN 8 and the CAF Champions League.

His breakthrough campaign saw him earn the DStv Premiership Young Player of the Season award and there has been talk that there is interest from Europe in the Limpopo-born youngster.  

One of the people who helped Mailula to his meteoric rise is club legend Moriri, who now works as Masandawana’s DStv Diski Challenge coach.

Surprise Moriri, coach of Sundowns talking to players during the DStv Diski Challenge 2021/22 match between Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns at Dobsonville Stadium in Soweto on the 16 April 2022 ©Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix

And Moriri has credited Mokwena for handing several young player their debut in 2022/23, praising the chemistry and synergy between the development coaches and their first team counterparts.  

“There is chemistry between the senior coach and the Academy coaches, because the synergy is there, and also the information is being sent back and forth regarding certain players,” Moriri told Lethabo Kganyago in edition 103 of the iDiski Times newspaper.

“When they play them it gives us the confidence to go out there and make sure that we double our effort because each and every child in the younger age group, if he sees Cassius is doing well, knowing that he has gone the same route that he is going, it can only give hope and that’s one thing that these kids want. Once they lose hope then it is done and domed with them.

“So we really, really appreciate it and so far this season with Coach Rulani, I must say that he has really, really done well in terms of making sure that he is giving these boys an opportunity and he knows that he’s got our support.

You can read Moriri’s full interview with Kganyago in edition 103 available on iDiski Times website.

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