On Friday, Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena explained why he does not communicate with many of the PSL coaches. Mokwena, who recently took on the head coach position, said he hasn’t earned the right to mingle with other coaches yet and is instead focusing on building his profile.
However, the 36-year-old tactician revealed that new Swallows head coach Ernst Middendorp is one of the few exceptions. The Brazilians recently beat the Birds 2-0 in their second consecutive game from the restart, securing their eighth consecutive league win.
“I try to keep a very low profile because I don’t think I’ve got the right yet to be able to speak to a lot of PSL coaches, I’ve got to humble myself, earn my stripes,” Mokwena said in a press conference. “But if there is a coach I frequently talk to it’s Ernst Middendorp. During the World Cup, we had frequent communication about his observations and his learnings. He was always so willing to give me information and share information.”
Mokwena also praised Musa Nyatama, who was the interim coach at the Birds before Middendorp was appointed during the recess. Mokwena said he believes Nyatama has the potential to become one of the best coaches in the country. “I don’t want to take away the incredible job Musa Nyatama did in the interim,” he said. “We were speaking and changing ideas, learning also a lot from him. Musa is an incredible prospect for a coach. He’s going to be one of the best probably in this country I think.”
