Newly conferred honorary doctorate holder Dr Pitso Mosimane has cautioned Wydad Athletic Club coach Rulani Mokwena not to spend too much time engaging with the media in Morocco.
Mosimane was speaking to the media after he was bestowed with an honorary doctorate by the University of Johannesburg on Wednesday for his illustrious football career.
Mokwena recently joined Moroccan giants Wydad after parting ways with Mamelodi Sundowns. He is known to be friendly and always available to engage with the media. And that usually results in controversy.
Mosimane knows his way around North Africa. He coached Egyptian powerhouse Al Ahly and dominated African football. And he advised his former assistant to be careful with the North African media space.
Media no easy space to navigate there, unlike in SA
“I can see that Rulani is always in the media. I think he’s enjoying the space there. He must be very careful of that space. It’s a difficult space … it’s not an easy space, trust me, I know it,” Mosimane said.
“He [Mokwena] needs to be scarce in the media. I don’t have to speak to him now, I’ll talk to him about it later … let him settle. If he needs anything, he knows we are friends … we can talk. He needs to be a little smart because the culture isn’t the same as in SA, but he’ll learn fast.
“There you need to be a little bit calm … it’s different, it’s not like here. Because once you don’t do well, it becomes a problem.”
Mokwena took charge of his first training session with Wydad on Wednesday. He will be expected to hit the ground running ahead of a tough season.
One of his mandates is to help his side get back into the Caf Champions League. And to ultimately challenge for the league following their dismal campaign last season, where they finished at number six.
Testament of his incredible journey with football
Meanwhile, Mosimane also reacted to his honorary achievement. He said that the moment was a testament to the incredible journey that he had with football.
“Growing up, I never imagined football would open doors that it has done for me. I have met and connected with high-profile personalities. Which also helped improve the life of my family.
“To the young coaches and individuals coming from similar backgrounds as mine, education is your most powerful tool. It will equip you with the skills and knowledge to navigate around the challenges you may face.”
