As he begins his tenure with Wydad Athletic, Rulani Mokwena will have to make do without one of his trusted lieutenants, who will not be joining him in the Moroccan capital.
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It was almost set in stone that Michael Loftman, like he did at Mamelodi Sundowns, would be the man alongside Mokwena at his new club, having successfully worked together at the Brazilians.
Reports from Moroccan media outlets had speculated that the English coach would take up the assistant coach post at Wydad.
However, in what came as a shock U-Turn, Mokwena confirmed that Loftman would in fact not be joining him, in favour of a sabbatical. Mokwena cited the manner in which they departed from Sundowns as the reason for Loftman's decision.
Now, he has roped in former Sundowns DStv Diski Challenge coach Sinethemba Badela instead.
"We have already started working. I'm in the office as we speak. Coach [Sinethemba] Badela is also here with me, and we are looking at the squad. Michael Loftman is one of the people I wanted, but he wants to take a sabbatical. He hasn't properly dealt with what happened at our previous club," Mokwena told Radio2000 in a recent interview.
In his attempts to hit the ground running, Mokwena has been given free rein over the club's signings with the Wydad hierarchy putting all plans for possible recruitments on hold for the coach to make a final decision.
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