Rulani Mokwena slams Orlando Pirates for ‘playing him dirty’ – ‘I’m still deeply scarred’

Rulani Mokwena has revealed how is still deeply hurt by the manner in which he was treated at Orlando Pirates.

Mokwena joined Pirates in 2017 to become assistant coach to Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic but in August 2019, the Serbian tactician resigned from the club and a young Rulani was thrust into the spotlight.

The now MC Alger coach was promoted to head coach, in the interim, but he did not get off to a flying start, winning four, drawing five and losing as many and after the 14 games, Pirates opted to bring in ex-coach Josef Zinnbauer in December that year.

Mokwena was seen as having failed the audition for the big role at the Soweto giants and chairman Irvin Khoza felt the need for an old hand to steady the ship with the interim tactician returning to his previous role of assistant, which he served until March 2020, when he joined Chippa United.

What was Mokwena told by Pirates?

Recalling that time during an interview on the African Five Aside Podcast, Mokwena termed it the most painful experience of his coaching career whose impact on him has lasted to date.

“Stepping down from Pirates was the most painful moment of my career,” Mokwena opened up.

“The club had already indicated I would take over as head coach, but after 13 matches, everything changed. Suddenly, the feeling was that someone ‘more experienced’ was needed.

‘Dr Irvin Khoza asked me to stay, but emotionally, it was extremely difficult to continue. I’m still deeply scarred by what happened.”

Bucs exit shaped Rulani into a good coach

That decision from Pirates, however, proved to a blessing in disguise as Mokwena would join Mamelodi Sundowns after his Chippa spell was disrupted by COVID-19, linking up with Manqoba Mngqithi as co-coaches, when his mentor Pitso Mosimane left to join Egyptian giants Al Ahly.

Mokwena led Sundowns to back-to-back PSL titles as co-coach before he was made head coach in 2022 and he steered the club to two more league crowns as well as the inaugural African Football League.

It was not just winning titles but the manner in which they did it that caught the eye as Sundowns played the most exciting football in Africa after Mokwena implemented a possession-based style that dominated opponents and saw his team score goals from well-worked moves.

He left Sundowns in July 2024 under unclear circumstances, and joined Moroccan giants Wydad Athletic Club, but he lasted nine months before he was forced out and has since taken over Algerian champions MC Alger since the start of the 2025-26 campaign.