Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena says he has no regrets about not leaving the club with Pitso Mosimane to join Al Ahly.
Mokwena looked set to join Mosimane, as his assistant coach at the Red Devils when he resigned in September 2020 after winning a domestic treble.
However, it has since been revealed Mokwena changed his mind two hours before their flight to Cairo on the condition he would become head coach at Masandawana.
Having initially served as co-coach alongside Manqoba Mngqithi, where they won the MTN8, DStv Premiership and Nedbank Cup in their first season, he was elevated to sole head coach the following season.
He’s since won another two league titles and the inaugural African Football League, which also saw him scoop the 2023 Cosafa Men’s Coach of the Year honour in Sandton on Thursday evening.
“To be honest I’ve not had a chance to think about it… but there is a feeling you are where you are supposed to be, and so everything happens for a reason, so I don’t think there’s a space in me that has any regrets,” Mokwena said when asked if his success after rejecting the Al Ahly move has now vindicated his choice.
“Even though I haven’t really thought about where the journey might have ended, there’s still a huge sense of appreciation, gratitude, for where I am today.”
When probed over the tenure of Mosimane yielding two consecutive CAF Champions League titles, he brushed off the notion that there are any small regrets.
“I’m grateful to be the head coach of Mamelodi Sundowns, it’s a big enough club and I’m very proud of what we’ve achieved, I’m very proud of the contributions of the technical team, the entire board, and management, but especially the players,” he added.
“I will never forget them in my entire life – and in me, they know they have a brother for life.”