The former Mamelodi Sundowns assistant coach is aware of the responsibility on his shoulders after being in charge of two Bucs games so far
Orlando Pirates caretaker coach Rulani Mokwena has vowed to restore the team’s glory days, speaking ahead of their crucial clash with Green Eagles on Saturday.
The Buccaneers are heading into their 2019/20 Caf Champions League preliminary round second-leg clash with the Zambian side. The South Africans are trailing 1-0 on aggregate.
Despite Bucs being winless in their last four competitive matches, Mokwena is embracing the challenge of leading the Sea Robbers through hard times having replaced Milutin Sredojevic, who resigned on Friday.
“Football is about results. We cannot escape it. We know the responsibility that we carry as coaches. Every coach in the world wants to win football matches,” Mokwena told IOL.
“Pep Guardiola (of Manchester City) wants to win football matches but it’s not always like that. It is not easy to go out there and win football matches, but big teams have the responsibility of winning matches in a specific way.”
Mokwena made it clear he wants Pirates to focus on their own blueprint which can help bring success back to the Houghton-based giants.
“Barcelona (of Spain) have a blueprint. Manchester City are trying to build a blueprint which has helped to sustain them for the last couple of seasons,” he continued.
“Real Madrid (in Spain) have a blueprint. Ajax Amsterdam (in Holland) have a blueprint. These are teams that have prestige and history. And similarly, Orlando Pirates has its own blueprint and a game model which we hope will take the club to the future.”
The 34-year-old, who has been in charge of two competitive games which ended in a defeat and a draw, revealed Bucs have a game model in place and they are now trying to grind out results.
“Even when you look at how our youth are playing in the Multichoice Diski Challenge, there’s a certain belief in the game model which goes deeper into the youth structures. It is what we want to try and create,” he said.
“We want sustainability. A typical example is Ajax Amsterdam. Ajax might produce a good team over the years, they are a flamboyant team but they lose players and come bounce back again because there’s a foundation that has been laid.
“There’s a game model which is in place. It is easy to come back and sustain success. It is what we want to try and do at Pirates.”
Pirates will play host to Eagles at Orlando Stadium in Soweto and the winner on aggregate will face either KMKM FC of Zanzibar or Angolan champions C.D. Primeiro de Agosto in the next round.
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