DURBAN – Rhulani Mokwena has endured a difficult start to his tenure as head coach of Orlando Pirates but the club must persist with him.
There’s no need to panic. The only thing that he requires is time.
Yes, at big clubs like Pirates there is no time. It is all about the results and if they don’t come, you're sent packing. It has happened to plenty of coaches in the past.
That is why it is imperative for the Buccaneers to start getting positive results. I have no doubt that Mokwena is cognisant of that fact.
He is in his second month as head coach of the Buccaneers but you can really tell how he wants to structure his team. His team is possession-based, they attack with pace and like to build from the back.
Unfortunately he hasn’t been successful in yielding the desired results.
Implementing a playing philosophy does take time. Pirates must give him until the end of the season to turn things around.
You can tell that he is a man with a vision. When Pirates appointed him as interim boss, Mokwena stated that he wants to win in style. Against Bidvest Wits on Saturday they showed glimpses of playing with style but still lost.
At the end of the season you can judge him but for now it is all about giving him time. The young tactician is the right man for the job.
Obviously coaches are judged by results and they haven’t been coming for Mokwena since he took over from Milutin Sredojevic. He had a baptism of fire by crashing out of the MTN8 and the Caf Champions League, while the Buccaneers are already behind in the PSL title race with two defeats, two draws and just one win.
Mokwena is a hard-working coach and is very innovative. It is just a matter of time before he gets it right.
Bringing in a new coach won’t solve the Buccaneers’ problems. He will also complain about the same “animal” which is called time.
Mokwena is the future for Pirates. He is still young and ambitious.
Of course Pirates are under immense pressure and that is understandable. They haven’t won silverware for five years and they need someone who will deliver the goods for them. Mokwena might not do it this season but in future Pirates will be a force to be reckoned with under his leadership.
It is important to invest in young coaches. Manchester United did it with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Chelsea followed suit with the appointment of Frank Lampard.
These are young coaches with great futures ahead of them and their fans can’t be expecting instant success.
That’s why the Buccaneers faithful must be patient with Mokwena instead of getting rid of him and bringing in either some unknown European or going for one of the many coaches who have been around the PSL block for a while.