Rulani Opens Up On Zwane Hug

Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Rulani Mokwena has revealed why he recently shared a hug with new Kaizer Chiefs coach Arthur Zwane.

The two coaches met after the recent match between Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns and were seen chatting after the final whistle before sharing a hug.

Their conversation and meeting came before Zwane was named Chiefs head coach, when 10111 was still working in an interim capacity.

However, he was promoted to be the head coach at Naturena after the season finished and will now meet Mokwena and his team more regularly.

There seems to be not much of a rivalry between both coaches, though, rather a huge amount of respect with both of them coming from similar backgrounds and starting their coaching careers with amateur teams.

“He’s someone I have huge admiration for,” Mokwena told iDiski Times in an exclusive interview when asked about his exchange with Zwane.

“I’ve got a very soft spot for him because I always thought I was the one coach that spent a lot more time in the township, watching games, and coaching until I met Arthur. 

“Because everywhere I go in Soweto I bump into him, it’s crazy. I go to Meadowlands, I bump into him. I go to Kingston, I bump into him. I go to Protea South, I bump into him, I go to Braam Fisher, I bump into him. 

“He’s a slave of this game, he is extremely committed and passionate about it. And this comes from way, way back to tell you the truth. 

“And even at a certain point, there was a little bit of a rivalry brewing between Black Poison and Galatasaray, which was a team that he was part of, coaching and working with his brother. 

“But great to see that he’s reached the level that he’s reached. He is going to become an incredible coach, extremely knowledgeable and hardworking. 

“It’s someone that I have huge, huge regards and respect for.” 

Story by David Kappel.

Picture credit: Vino Snap.

To read the full interview with Mokwena, where he also talks about painful lessons from the CAF Champions League, his private talks with Andile Jali, his relationship with Pitso Mosimane what it means to be named Coach of the Season, read pages six and seven of our FREE digital newspaper.