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| Rhulani Mokwena |
Rhulani Mokwena wants to repay the faith shown in him by Orlando Pirates chairman Irvin Khoza after becoming the youngest coach in the history of the club.
Photo Copyright Steve Haag Sport Hollywoodbets
Mokwena took over from Milutin Sredojevic after the Serb tactician resigned last week and has not got off to the best of starts, with the Buccanneers losing 1-0 to Highlands Park in the MTN8 quarter-finals before playing to a 0-0 draw with AmaZulu.
And Mokwena, who is just 32, has paid tribute to Khoza for allowing him to fulfil a lifelong dream.
“We have to appreciate the decision made by the chairman of Orlando Pirates, Dr Irvin Khoza, the management and the board of the club,” Mokwena said.
“We appreciate it but at the same time we take it as a huge responsibility not just to help the club but personalise it, and bring it back to the society to inspire the next generation of black leaders.”
European clubs have for some time been way ahead of their African counterparts in giving opportunities to younger coaches. There are the examples of Andres Villas-Boas, who became the youngest manager ever to win a European title at age 32 in 2010 with Portuguese giants Porto. Julian Nagelsmann was just 28 when taking the reins at Hoffenheim and Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe has been in management for 11 years and is still only 41.
And perhaps the most famous case study of all is Jose Mourinho, who took up his first head coaching role at 38 with Benfica in 2000 and went on to become one of the most successful managers in European footballing history.
Mokwena has specifically cited the example of Nagelsmann and questioned the lack of trust in younger coaches in South Africa football.
“If you look at modern football, and you look in Germany where you have a coach that is younger than myself Julian Nagelsmann, 32 years old but he’s got five years experience in the Bundesliga. How young was Mourinho when he was given his opportunity? But in South Africa Rhulani comes in and it’s already a revolution,” he said.
“We are little bit late, it’s difficult because it’s not just about football where young people are given positions of leadership. South Africa is not really a country that is known for giving young people leadership roles, particularly to black people.”
And the Buccanneers boss hopes to be a rolemodel to young, black, up-and-coming managers.
“Football is going where it won’t be about whether you’ve played the game or not, it’s not about whether you are older or not, or you have 15 years experience or not. Football has gone to a direction where because of other dynamics like sports science, psychology and all these dynamics that are assisting performance,” he explained.
“Myself and Fadlu see ourselves as part of that trailblazing adventure where we have to try and prepare, show the country not just from a football perspective because football is always a reflection of society, a microscopic reflection of society because if we succeed in leadership positions as young black coaches, we then are not only inspiring young black football coaches but we go to townships and inspire these young black boys who say ‘I also want to become a leader’ because of these people who say if you want it, go get it regardless of age, colour and other dynamics against you.”
