The honest truth is that RhulaniMokwena’s tenure as a coachof Orlando Pirates since takingover fromMilutin Sredojevic has divided opinion about whether it was premature handing a young, inexperienced coach among themost volatile jobs in the country.
His case has been complicated by the fact that results have not been forthcoming. In his first dozen games he won just three, lost five and drew four – three of them goalless stalemates.
The goalkeeping department and the defence has looked chaotic with 15 goals conceded in those 12 games, the midfield has been changed at the toss of a coin with the only hope being the energy provided by Gabadinho Mhango and the goals scored by Tshegofatso Mabasa.
Though the season is not even at the halfway stage, the reality is that Pirates will neither win the league nor even be challenging for the top three having fallen so far off the chasing pack.
What hurts The Ghost is that they were knocked out of the MTN8 at the first hurdle and then were felled by rivals Kaizer Chiefs in the quarterfinals of the Telkom Knockout, which now leaves the Nedbank Cup as the only piece of silverware to play for.
Added to that a first round exit from the CAF Champions League at the hands of Zambian side Green Eagles, and it has been a disastrous fewmonths for the club.
The circumstances that led to Mokwena being handed the job at Pirates were unforeseen but the fact that he chose to agree to take over spoke of his courage and belief that he feels he can do this job.
“It was wrong of Pirates to give this boy that job,” states yesteryear Pirates forward Andries ‘Local is Lekker’ Sebola.
“They were not supposed to hire him as head coach, he should have been an interim coach for a couple of games while they looked for a coach. You can see the boy doesn’t have the experience of coaching a big team like Pirates.
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The Best Of South Africa's Clasico
Kaizer Chiefs versus Orlando Pirates is one of footballâs great derby matches with a rich history, both good and bad, that has helped to create a sports event that is the biggest in South Africa. It is perhaps the only fixture that can bring the country to a stand-still and down the years there has been some epic fixtures. KICK OFFâs Mark Gleeson picks out 10 of the best.
âThere is more coming'
The arrival of German coach Josef Zinnbauer at Orlando Pirates has coincided with Gabadinho Mhango suddenly raising his performance. His seven goals in Zinnbauerâs first four matches have elevated him to double figures already with a loud shout in the top scorersâ award chase. As Malawiâs top export, Mhango knows he is representing many back home, and thus carries the desire to aim high. He spoke to KICK OFFâs Lovemore Moyo, revealing he believes there is more coming from him.
âI should have won 12 times'
Samuel Etoâo announced his retirement from professional football in 2019 and leaves behind a legacy that many consider sees him as the greatest African footballer of all time with 18 major titles won for club and country. KICK OFFâs Lorenz Kohler sat down with the four-time CAF African Player of the Year at the Duqesa de Cardona hotel in Barcelona before El Clasico to find out his role in the Castle Lager Africa Fives project and look back on an iconic career that started back in 1997.
The incredible coaching journey of Pitso Mosimane
If Mamelodi Sundowns go on and retain their Absa Premiership title at the end of the season, Pitso Mosimane will have won a fifth championship and become the most successful coach in the history of the sport in South Africa. Soweto-born Mosimane has an all-consuming passion for the game, starting in his playing career and now well into his mid-50s. His hunger for victory remains all too evident, even if the novelty of winning is now long past. With Sundowns he has won four of the last six league championships, and in so doing, matched the feats of four titles won by the likes of Jeff Butler, Ted Dumitru, Gordon Igesund and Gavin Hunt. But he has already gone one better than them by also winning the African Champions League â the Holy Grail on the continent. But how did Mosimane start out coaching, what fueled his passion and what was his journey to the top. It is a fascinating insight, told exclusively to KICK OFFâs Mark Gleeson.
Should He Stay Or Should He Go?
Three months after taking over Orlando Pirates, Rhulani Mokwena hasnât elevated the club to where the fans expected. This has naturally raised questions about whether it was premature to hand him the job. KICK OFFâs Lovemore Moyo investigates Mokwenaâs appointment, tenure and what could possibly be the way forward.
âWe Know How To Win The League'
Mamelodi Sundowns winger Lyle Lakay feels that there is no need to panic over the pace that Kaizer Chiefs have set in the Absa Premiership championship race, insisting that the Brazilians have the edge in terms of experience. KICK OFFâs Lovemore Moyo spoke to the 28-year-old, who spent most of his five years at Bloemfontein Celtic trying to get out of the club.
Chiefs' Missing Link
Kaizer Chiefsâ excellent start to the 2019/20 Premier Soccer League season has been a great team effort, but there is one man who stands out head and shoulders above the rest as the catalyst for their upturn in fortunes. Serbian striker Samir Nurkovic was a little-known journeyman forward before he arrived at Naturena at the beginning of the campaign, but has almost single-handedly improved the sideâs attacking fortunes. KICK OFFâs Nick Said investigates what makes Nurkovic such a quality addition and why he can fire Chiefs to the league title.
Mano A Mano In Combat With Mano-Mano
Helder “Mano-Mano” Muianga missed out on a dream move to the English Premier League, but says he still remains proud of his career, which he spent mostly in South Africa. Now he hopes his new project back home in Mozambique will help him emulate his mentor, Jomo Sono.
Silencing The Critics
Having joined as a relatively unknown striker, with no eye-popping history of his ability, Gustavo Paez has begun to settle in well at Kaizer Chiefs over the last six months, and is looking to help Amakhosi return to their glory days in the 2017/18 Premier Soccer League season. Everyone took a dig at his journeyman background and they expected to see another failed mercenary unpack their suitcase at Naturena. Oh, how wrong they were …
Jayiya Lives Childhood Dream
Bhongolwethu Jayiya was part of Cape Town City’s whirlwind debut season, contributing an outstanding hat-trick against Chippa United as the Citizens finished an impressive third on the Absa Premiership table. Now that he has made the incredible step up to the Glamour Boys, a life-long dream of his, the pressure to achieve has been turned up a few notches. Here he tells KICK OFF’s Lovemore Moyo about his journey to Naturena.
