Mamelodi Sundowns chairman Tlhopie Motsepe has opened up about the “difficult decision” to part ways with coach Rulani Mokwena in July 2024.
Mokwena was shown the door despite leading the Brazilians to the league title and suffering just one defeat during the campaign.
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That season, he also guided Sundowns to the MTN8 and Nedbank Cup finals, although they suffered defeats to Orlando Pirates in both competitions.
Their CAF Champions League campaign also ended at the semi-final stage. According to Motsepe, the club felt their inability to overcome that hurdle and ultimately win the continental title was a major factor behind the decision to make a change in the dugout.
“Yeah, that was a very difficult decision to make for many reasons,” said Motsepe.
“Rulani was loved by the players. I mean coach Rulani… I even say Rulani because I was very fond of him. But coach Rulani was loved by the players. His style of football was generally appreciated by the supporters as well.
“And at the time, he had taken the reins, and again, we found ourselves in a situation where we just couldn’t clear that hurdle of the Champions League. And we must bear in mind, he had been a co-coach, then he had been an individual coach, and then he had been in his role.
“So, we already understood the capacity of the project with him as a coach in that particular moment. I think Rulani is a very talented coach and he’s going to go very, very far.
“And, I like many Sundowns supporters, wish him the best. We really do. Sometimes the very hard decisions, the very hard ones, are the right ones. It’s not emotions that will decide that, and that lesson for me was also one that shaped my leadership.”