Rabat – Rhulani Mokwena, the former head coach of Wydad Athletic Club, has revealed the significant personal sacrifices he made during his 10-month tenure at the Moroccan football giant.
In an interview on the “Marawa Sports Worldwide” show, Mokwena disclosed that he paid salaries for some players and technical staff out of his own pocket and even bought training equipment with his personal funds.
The South African coach described his time at Wydad as “full of challenges and hardships,” noting that he went unpaid for eight months despite his daily efforts and strategic signings aimed at strengthening the team. He called the situation “unfair,” expressing frustration over the lack of support he received.
Mokwena also spoke about his loyalty being questioned despite his investments. He recounted telling the club president, “I can’t keep investing this much, struggling to bring in nearly free players, only for my loyalty to be questioned.”
The coach pointed to internal obstacles that hindered his work, including a preference among some club officials to appoint a local coach and the cultural and language barriers that complicated his mission.
He also lamented a lack of solidarity from both management and some players, contrasting this with the fighting spirit he observed in Wydad’s archrivals, Raja Casablanca.
“I asked my players how Raja managed to win the double under the same conditions. The answer was simple: they fought. That sense of full commitment sometimes seemed missing in my team,” he explained.
Mokwena dismissed rumors suggesting he intended to leave Wydad to join Pep Guardiola for the 2025 Club World Cup as “absurd.” “I wouldn’t have endured all this only to leave afterward. I was there to work, not to run away,” he affirmed.
Ultimately, Mokwena said he was the one who proposed his departure after realizing that the situation had reached a dead end. His exit marked the end of a strained relationship with the club, leaving unresolved questions about the structural problems that continue to challenge Wydad despite its ambitious goals.
Mokwena left Wydad after the season concluded, following the team’s failure to secure second place in the Botola Pro league and qualify for the CAF Champions League. The club’s early elimination from the Throne Cup by Moghreb Tétouan further complicated his prospects of continuing, especially ahead of the upcoming Club World Cup.
Although Mokwena had signed a contract extending until June 2027, he faced intense criticism from fans after Wydad’s disappointing performances—including the Throne Cup exit, losing the league title to RS Berkane with seven matches remaining, and missing out on CAF Champions League qualification by finishing third.
