Rulani Mokwena has sparked speculation about his future with Wydad Athletic Club after suggesting the Moroccan giants deserve a better coach than him, following a frustrating end to their league campaign.
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The South African tactician was brought in with a clear mandate—to return Wydad to their rightful place among the continent’s elite and to secure a top-two finish in the Botola Pro. But with only three matches left in the 2024/25 season, that target is now officially out of reach.
A 1-1 draw against OC Safi—Wydad’s second consecutive draw after a similar result in the heated Casablanca Derby against Raja—has left the club stranded in third place, a position Mokwena admits is simply not good enough for a club of Wydad’s stature.
Speaking candidly in a post-match interview, the former Mamelodi Sundowns coach did not shy away from taking accountability.
"It's up to the president. I already said that at the end, I leave. That's the situation,” Mokwena stated. “I love Wydad. I will only coach in Morocco for Wydad. And when you say 'Dima Wydad,' you say it forever.”
He continued by expressing deep gratitude to the club’s leadership and its passionate fanbase.
“Just to thank the president—he's been amazing. I think Wydad has the best president in Morocco, maybe in Africa. The players have given me everything, the staff has been good. But Wydad is a big club. They deserve to win, and maybe they deserve a better coach than me.”
The 37-year-old’s comments have only fuelled growing speculation that his time at the club may be coming to an end, with insiders suggesting that both parties could be preparing for a parting of ways at the season’s end.
Despite leading Wydad to a respectable position compared to last season—where they finished sixth—Mokwena is acutely aware that third place falls short of expectations at a club where only trophies are considered success.
“The fans have got every right to be emotional, they love their club,” he said. “You can feel it. In other places, for a big club to be third is a good season. But with Wydad, to be third is not a good season. But also, if you take into account where we were last year—number six—now third. So we are there, and the club will come back, will rise again. It's a big club, its got incredible fans.”
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