Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena has confirmed his growing "influence" in assembling the technical team following the appointment of Michael Loftman.
Loftman, who worked with Mokwena at Orlando Pirates as a senior team match analyst and DStv Diski Challenge head coach, was announced as a set-piece coach at Sundowns in recent weeks.
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The Soweto native tactician did not hide his close relationship with Loftman amid reports that there will be technical team changes at the Brazilians at the end of the season, with the contracts of senior coach Manqoba Mngqithi and assistant coach Steve Komphela coming to an end.
"Michael is someone I have extremely good relations (with), it helps when someone has incredible quality and you also got very good relations, it helps," Mokwena told the media in a Nedbank Cup press conference.
"Very qualified coach, very hard-working with very good qualities, competence, technical expertise. He's someone that knows the South African game quite well now, having been in the country for quite some time," he said.
Soccer Laduma recently reported that the appointment of Loftman shows that Mokwena's weight and pull is growing at the club and he confirmed that his "influence" in assembling his technical team was supported by the club in bringing in the Englishman on board.
"And yeah, like with any other addition to the technical for sure, as one of the leaders within the club I have to have an opinion and some influence with regards to the composition of the technical team," he went on.
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"And fortunately the club was in support, because then it's something that is for the club and to help the club move into a very good direction and we're very happy, like the statement the club released.
"We're very happy that the coach Michael is with us and we look forward to him working with the rest of the technical team and the coaches like coach Manqoba (Mngqithi), coach Steve (Komphela) and coach Wendell (Robinson)," he said.
"So exciting times ahead and we welcome him with warm hands and we look forward to the contribution he is gonna make," he added.
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