Rulani Mokwena Linked With Orlando Pirates Return as Inner Circle Seeks Clarity
Speculation continues to swirl around Rulani Mokwena’s potential return to Orlando Pirates, with sources close to the coach now seeking clarity on the situation following mounting reports linking him with the Buccaneers’ vacant head coach role.
With Jose Riveiro recently departing for Egyptian giants Al Ahly, Pirates are yet to announce his successor. The vacancy has naturally sparked rumours, with Mokwena — who previously served as both assistant and interim coach at the club — emerging as a leading candidate.
A confidant of Mokwena engaged with the Siya crew on broader football matters but notably avoided commenting on whether the former Mamelodi Sundowns and Wydad Casablanca mentor is poised to take over at Pirates, adding further intrigue to the developing story.
Inside sources at the Soweto giants acknowledge that Mokwena is indeed in the running, though caution that no final decision has yet been made. “At the moment no one wants to talk about it but it’s believed that Rulani Mokwena is the coach in line to take over from Jose Riveiro. I can’t say everything is finalised at the moment but things are looking good. For now it’s more about the interest in the coach and Rulani Mokwena is one of those,” an insider revealed to Soccer Laduma.
Another source indicated that Pirates are aiming to have their new coach in place before the team departs for a pre-season training camp in Europe next month. “The team is expected to leave for pre-season in Germany during the first week of July. So they are planning to have the new coach by that time as part of their pre-season. Let’s wait and see who it will be. Rulani Mokwena’s name is up there on the list,” the second insider added.
Mokwena, 38, has built a strong coaching resume since his initial spell with Pirates. After stints at Chippa United and Mamelodi Sundowns — where he enjoyed considerable success — as well as a brief tenure at Wydad Casablanca, he is now seen as a coach capable of leading one of South Africa’s most ambitious clubs back to domestic and continental glory.
Efforts by Soccer Laduma to obtain official comment from Pirates were met with silence at the time of publication, further fuelling speculation around Mokwena’s possible appointment.
The lack of concrete denials from Mokwena’s camp and the urgency within the Pirates hierarchy to secure a coach before their European tour suggest that developments could unfold quickly in the coming days. While other candidates remain in contention, the guarded responses from all sides have only added to the mounting anticipation around Mokwena’s potential return to the Orlando Stadium dugout.
