Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena has dropped a hint about his future at the club after they lost the Nedbank Cup final to Orlando Pirates at the weekend.
Sundowns were aiming for a treble this season, having already secured the DStv Premiership and the inaugural African Football League titles.
However, their dream run was halted by a 2-1 defeat to Pirates, adding to their earlier disappointment of being dumped out of the CAF Champions League by Esperance in the semifinals in April.
Speaking in the post-match press conference, Mokwena took responsibility for the loss and offered an apology. His words suggested a willingness to accept blame for the team's performance.a
Mokwena indicated he plans to use the off-season to have a hard look at himself, saying the club deserves someone who would “invest a little much better”.
Mokwena: ‘The club deserves a coach who’ll invest more’
“I think I need to have an off-season to properly digest the lessons [from the 2023/24 season]. Of course, there are lessons not just about the team but also about myself,” Mokwena said.
“The most important part is that when you lose games like this, you have to start with yourself as the coach. You can’t go too far; you start with yourself in the mirror and ask, could you have done better?
“And first, before even going to find reasons, you have to humble yourself and apologise to the football club because it is not a game we should have lost.
“So it’s my responsibility to apologise to Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club, the supporters, the Board and the club in its entirety for letting them down because we shouldn’t have lost the match.
“And then it’s about introspection, checking yourself, checking what you did and if the investment is enough. If the investment is not enough, then it becomes a bit of a problem because the club deserves better.
“The club deserves a coach who will invest a little bit more and help them to cross over the line. So that’s what my off-season will be about.”
Mokwena signed a four-year contract extension with the Tshwane giants ahead of the start of the recently ended season. The deal will see him stay at the club until the 2026/27 campaign.
He recently revealed he had offers elsewhere including a club from North Africa, however, he elected to stay with Sundowns.
The club has won three trophies under his sole leadership [Two league titles and African Football League].
