Wydad Casablanca, one of Africa’s most decorated soccer clubs, has always demanded excellence. With the appointment of Rhulani Mokwena as head coach, the Moroccan giants seem poised to return to their dominant position on the continent.
Mokwena’s track record, despite his young age of 37, speaks volumes about his ability to not only manage but elevate top clubs. His success with Mamelodi Sundowns (1.04) and experience at Orlando Pirates (12.79) have set him up perfectly for the task of revitalising Wydad.
Mokwena’s tenure at Mamelodi Sundowns is a testament to his managerial prowess. When he took over from Manqoba Mngqithi as head coach in 2022, many questioned whether he could maintain the club’s high standards. What followed was a period of sustained excellence, with Sundowns establishing themselves as the undisputed kings of South African soccer. Under his guidance, Sundowns not only won the Premier Soccer League (PSL) but also the inaugural African Football League in 2023. This victory signalled Sundowns’ continental dominance and proved that Mokwena could handle the pressures of managing at the highest level.
What is often underestimated about Mokwena’s success at Sundowns is just how dominant they were. Winning became so habitual for the club’s fans that the scale of his achievements was sometimes overlooked. He took a squad that was already strong and elevated it to unprecedented levels of consistency.
In many ways, he is a victim of his own success in terms of the expectations that were set to him, but it was not obvious that Sundowns were going to win the 2022/23 league title when he took over as head coach and yet they stormed to the title both that season and the next under his guidance. Now that he has departed, they are struggling to find their feet again, and lost home and away to Stellenbosch FC in the MTN8 semi-finals.
Mokwena’s coaching journey is rooted in invaluable experiences under some of the best managers in African football. One of his most significant influences was working under Pitso Mosimane, arguably the most successful African coach of his generation. Together, they guided Sundowns to the CAF Champions League title in 2016, beating Egyptian giants Zamalek. This achievement not only put Sundowns on the map as a continental powerhouse but also moulded Mokwena’s approach to the game.
Mokwena learned the intricacies of top-level management from Mosimane, gaining an understanding of what it takes to win in Africa. The CAF Champions League is one of the toughest competitions on the continent, and Mokwena has proven his capacity to navigate its unique challenges there and should be able to in the Botola Pro likewise.
Despite being just 37, Mokwena’s résumé already boasts stints with two of South Africa’s biggest clubs: Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns. At Pirates, he was not as successful as at Sundowns – but he inherited a difficult situation following the departure of predecessor Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojević and undoubtedly learned from the experience. His subsequent stint at Chippa United was too short to judge one way or the other.
Mokwena’s move back to Sundowns allowed him to grow into one of the continent’s elite head coaches, making him an ideal candidate to take over at Wydad.
Wydad Casablanca is a club with a rich history, having won three CAF Champions League titles. However, their recent struggles have seen them fall short of their usual standards. Mokwena’s arrival brings hope for a revival. He understands the demands of managing big clubs, and his record shows that he can deliver under pressure.
With his experience of working under Mosimane and his own African Football League triumph, Mokwena knows what it takes to win in Africa, both domestically and continentally. His tactical flexibility and attention to detail make him the perfect candidate to restore Wydad’s dominance.
In Mokwena, Wydad has a coach who not only knows how to win but also how to build sustained success. His ability to turn Sundowns into a juggernaut of African soccer has shown that he can do more than just manage — he can create dynasties.