Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena has again expressed his admiration for Gavin Hunt, but insisted he will put those aside for the Tshwane Derby on Wednesday.
Mokwena and Hunt are going head-to-head in the DStv Premiership on Wednesday, when SuperSport United finally return to Lucas Moripe Stadium.
Both sides are just separated by one point on the log, even though Matsatsantsa have four games in hand. However, there is an added bonus for either side as the winner will climb to the top of the DStv Premiership title.
Mokwena was asked about his relationship with opposition coach Hunt, and revealed he’s been a long admirer but on Wednesday only winning will matter.
“I think it’s the same for all the other coaches, our our work is dependent on winning,” he said when asked about the emotions of facing Hunt after both teased each other with several jokes during the presser.
“My job is I have to win football games, I can’t be sentimental. And to stay in my job I have to make sure that I produce the results.
“Modern society, and maybe even society in general from way back, has always been about efficiency and productivity, it’s getting worse now. And that’s why the margins for error are less and less and less as we go with.
“With AI, I keep speaking about it, and the only reason it’s heightening and it’s become more relevant in the modern societies because when you introduce that type of space, you minimise the level of the margins of mistakes. And that’s where everyone is in the big companies, big clubs, big jobs, everything is about productivity efficiency, and not about emotions.
“The only thing a robot doesn’t have as compared to human beings is the heart and feelings. And so that’s why they are productive. And sometimes that’s what you need in a game is to minus the emotions.
“But of course, as you rightfully say, he’s a coach that even as a young, young, young football player growing up in Soweto, he was already coaching Seven Stars, and and I’ve watched his career, he’s won so many trophies.
“And he remains an inspiration, he’s a he’s a very nice guy, good human being and that helps to be a good coach and he’s someone I’ve got huge admiration for.
“But for sure for 90 minutes that disappears and we go full throttle and try to get through the points.”
