Rulani Mokwena has thrown doubt on any aspirations of coaching Bafana Bafana in the future by revealing he may even soon retire from the dugout.
Mokwena has been with the Brazilians’ senior team for about eight years over two stints where he served in various capacities as he now occupies the role of head coach.
Speaking to a group of Moroccan journalists, Mokwena revealed his perspective on the possibility of dumping club football for a national team where games and camps are significantly lesser.
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Mokwena is one of the highly-rated tacticians in Africa, and should a chance arise to sit in the dugout for Bafana or any other national team, the former Orlando Pirates mentor’s name is likely to be bandied about.
“South Africa has a national team coach (Hugo Broos), and he is doing very well. We have to support him. Do I think I will coach the national team?” Mokwena said on L’Vestiaire.
"I really don't know. I don't know if I will coach for the next five years. I might retire sooner than people think."
The 2023/24 DStv Premiership Coach of the Season may be fixated on conquering African football with Sundowns, as the 37-year-old is still chasing the CAF Champions League title.
However, Mokwena won the league and African Football League with Downs in his first full season as the sole head coach.
Although Mokwena’s ambition to win more silverware at club level is unquestionable, he does not rule out the possibility of taking charge of a national team.
“Maybe later in my career towards the end. I have too much passion and too much energy. I want to be on the pitch and I have too many ideas in my head which sometimes I want to share with the players.
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“Sometimes I don’t know whether they are right or wrong ideas, so I think I have too much energy for a national team job at the moment.
“But you never know, look at Julian Nagelsmann, as young as he is, and what he is doing with the German national team.
“I’m very happy at Sundowns, I am happy with the players, and I am humbled by the recognition that I get from North Africa. The supporters of Wydad have shown me love, support, and respect. Same with Al Ahly fans,” Mokwena concluded.
Sundowns held their 2023/24 pre-season camp in the Netherlands and this time around, word suggests Mokwena will sharpen the saw in Austria ahead of the new campaign.
