Rulani: Maybe Wydad deserve a better coach than me
Wydad head coach Rulani Mokwena was left disappointed after his charges played to a 1-1 draw with Olympic Safi on Wednesday.
The Red Castle led the Safi until the last three to four minutes of the game when they let them score the equaliser.
The result means Wydad have now drawn their last six league matches, and they find themselves third in the Botola Pro 1.
With three ganes to go, Wydad need to win all of them and hope AS FAR Rabat slip up in order for them to finish second.
And should that happen, they would then return to CAF Champions League football next season.
Now, Mokwena, who is leaving Wydad, said it's up to the president to decide his fate but his stance on vacating his position hasn't changed.
He further said Wydad are the only Moroccan team he will ever coach, declaring his love for the club.
However, he feels perhaps Wydad deserve a better coach than him at this point in time. Orlando Pirates legend says no to Rulani Mokwena's possible return. Image: X/@WACofficiel
'It's up to the president, I already said at the end of the season, I will leave. So, that's the situation,' he told the media.
'I love Wydad, I will only coach Wydad in Morocco, if I leave, I leave as a Wydad. When you say 'Dima Wydad', you say 'Dima Wydad' forever, and just to thank the president, he's been amazing.
'I think Wydad has the best president in Morocco, maybe in Africa. The players have given me everything of the best, the staff has been good.
'Wydad is a big club you know, they deserve to win, and maybe they deserve a better coach than me,' Mokwena concluded.
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211
Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
28 minutes ago
- The Citizen
OPINION: Bavuma has silenced his doubters, but some of the criticism was fair
It's disrespectful to treat the Proteas Test captain like a child made of glass. Temba Bavuma led the Proteas to victory in the World Test Championship final against Australia in London last week. Picture: Alex Davidson/ICC/Getty Images There's a perspective that has emerged from some quarters that Temba Bavuma cannot be criticised. How condescending. Public figures, including professional athletes, will always be held to account more than the general public. It's a natural byproduct of fame and fortune. And as the captain of the Proteas cricket team, Bavuma will be a target of criticism, as is the case with any other national skippers or elite sport stars. According to some, however, Bavuma cannot be treated with the same level of respect as other professional athletes. When we talk about him, we need to put kid gloves on and punch lightly. Bavuma is not made of glass After the Proteas returned home this week with the World Test Championship mace, Bavuma's supporters took the opportunity to defend him, including sports minister Gayton McKenzie. Speaking at a press conference after the team's arrival, McKenzie laid into members of the media who have called out Bavuma in the past when the top-order batter has experienced slumps and not delivered. And he's not alone. Even some members of the media refuse to criticise Bavuma. They place him in a cushioned box as if he's so fragile that the slightest knock will break him. McKenzie also claimed this week that those of us who have called out Bavuma in the past cannot praise him now because we previously 'said he was sh**'. That's completely absurd. To be criticised when you play poorly and lauded when you play well is standard for any elite athlete in any sport. It comes with the territory. Fair criticism It would be ridiculous for analysts to simply praise athletes all the time, regardless of their performances, in the hope that one day they will come good. The media needs to be fair, objective and honest. What Bavuma has achieved as captain of the national Test team over the last couple of years has been phenomenal. Having gone unbeaten in 10 matches as skipper and leading the SA squad to a historic victory in last week's World Test Championship final (on top of his incredible run of form with the bat) he has earned icon status in South African sport for his recent accomplishments. But that doesn't change the fact that he hasn't always delivered, especially in limited overs formats, and much of the criticism he's received (or some of it, at the very least) has been deserved, especially after the 2023 World Cup in India where he just didn't perform. Special immunity Giving Bavuma special privileges and suggesting he can't be fairly criticised is completely condescending. He's not a child playing mini-cricket. He's the captain of the national team, and he's only criticised because of the calibre of player he is. It's because of his role in the squad, and his tremendous ability, that we expect as much as we do from him. To refuse to criticise him is to suggest we don't expect anything from him in the first place. Bavuma deserves more respect than that.
The South African
8 hours ago
- The South African
Legendary commentator Phumlani Msibi dies
Legendary South African sports commentator, presenter and anchor Phumlani Msibi, has died. In a social media post late on Friday evening, his employer SuperSport confirmed that Msibi had passed away. 'Our heartfelt condolences go to his family, friends and colleagues following this great loss,' the post read. This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Citizen
11 hours ago
- The Citizen
Sold out 35th birthday celebration for 12 000 women in Sunday's SPAR Women's Challenge Durban
The SPAR Women's 10km Challenge will celebrate a major milestone on Sunday in Durban as it marks the 35thanniversary of the first SPAR Women's race. The SPAR Women's Challenge was first run in Durban in 1990 and later spread to other cities around the country, making the overall SPAR Challenge the world's biggest woman only street race. Race organizers have confirmed that the 10km race and 5km fun run are sold out. Many of South Africa's elite female athletes will be running on Sunday, 22 June hoping to gain points for the SPAR Grand Prix, which incorporates races in Cape Town, Durban, Tshwane, Gqeberha and Johannesburg. Pretoria's own Glenrose Xaba (Boxer), who last year became the first South African to win the SPAR Grand Prix since international athletes were admitted in 2019, aims to become the third runner, after Rene Kalmer and Irvette van Zyl, to win the title three times. Xaba won the Cape Town SPAR Women's race in March this year. Earlier this month, she ran a personal best in a 5000m track race in France, with a time of 15:10.42, so she is currently in good form and ready for Durban. Hoping to challenge Xaba will be Ethiopian Selem Gebre (Nedbank), who finished second in Cape Town, and young Tuks runner Karabo Mailula, who came third. Gebre finished second overall in the SPAR Grand Prix last year. Other top runners include Cacisile Sosibo (Boxer), who was the second best South African performer in last year's SPAR Grand Prix, and teammates the Phalula twins, Diana-Lebo and Lebogang, who are both former SPAR Grand Prix winners. The 12 000 entrants will each stand a chance win a Hyundai Exter SUV from the lucky draw. 'We are proud to offer our stunning Exter as a prize for the SPAR Women's Challenge. We congratulate the SPAR Durban Challenge on 35 years of women empowerment through sport, while inspiring the next generation of champions,' said Hyundai South Africa CEO Stanley Anderson. SPAR Group PR, Communications and Sponsorship Manager Mpudi Maubane confirmed that each of the SPAR races is linked to their ongoing commitment to ending Gender Based Violence (GBV) as well as SPAR's campaign to end period poverty by 2030, raising awareness and providing support to organisations working to combat these issues. 'This multi-faceted approach ensures that the races that form part of the Grand Prix series not only promote physical well-being but also contribute to a safer and more equitable society for women in South Africa,' Maubane explained. The proceeds from the race will go to Sinethemba Women's Foundation based in Inanda, KwaZulu Natal. This small organisation assists vulnerable women in their neighbourhood by offering support on skills and business development, career guidance, aligns with SPAR's values – ending GBV and helping young girls and women with menstrual hygiene. The alignment with Sinethemba Women's Foundation work with SPAR's core values highlights the deliberate and great connection that we seek to foster with the communities we serve. Maubane added that by supporting organisations like Sinethemba, SPAR is investing in a future where women are safe, empowered and have the necessary resources they need to thrive. The route for the race is the same as last year. The 10km route is flat, but race director Brad Glasspoole says it is anything but monotonous. 'There's a fine line between 'flat and fast' and 'monotonous',' says Glasspoole. 'This route has slight elevation loss and gain, which keep it interesting and is good for the athletes' The race starts on Masabalala Yengwa Avenue and finishes on the outer fields of Hollywood Kings Park Stadium. Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading! Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App here
