Rulani Mokwena has given an insight into the meticulous preparations that goes on before any game that his team plays.
The Wydad Athletic Club coach says part of his preparations involve a detailed analysis of his team by watching clips of their previous match a number of times to pick out the strengths and weaknesses to know what kind of information to pass onto his players.
“I start preparing for a game with the previous match and I watch it three times. The first time I ask myself, ‘would I enjoy this as a spectator?’ The second time I think ‘if I was the coach of the opposition, what would I learn from it, what are the strengths and weaknesses of my team’?” he told Forbes Africa.
How did Mokwena prepare for Orlando Pirates?
“The third time I watch for corrections, I analyse and make notes for a debrief with every player, where we discuss the performance,” added the former Mamelodi Sundowns tactician, who also disclosed that he had the same routine for almost 60 matches last season.
Mokwena also revealed how he prepared for the Nedbank Cup final which his team lost 2-1 to Orlando Pirates.
“Then I watch a minimum of three to five games of the opponent to understand how they play. Ahead of the (2024) Nedbank Cup final, I watched 12 games of (opponents) Pirates,” said Mokwena.
The Wydad coach demands high standards
“It is the only way to manage a big club, the standards have got to be very, very high. But the first person to set standards is the coach, I’ve got to invest more (time), show motivation and put pressure on myself.
“If I am not prepared to ask that of myself, I should not ask the players to do more than I do.”
Mokwena’s preparations have served him well as he led Sundowns to back-to-back league titles as head coach as well as the inaugural African Football League last season.
