Mamelodi Sundowns Head Coach Rulani Mokwena Reveals Secret to Stopping Orlando Pirates

• Rulani Mokwena says he understands grassroots football, and that has helped him in containing Orlando Pirates
• The Mamelodi Sundowns tactician is impressed with his side’s performance in their 1-0 win
• According to him, his knowledge of amateur football has helped him profile players like Patrick Maswanganyi and Zakhele Lepasa

The head coach of Mamelodi Sundowns, Rulani Mokwena, has disclosed that he perfectly understands grassroots football, and that has helped him profile opposition players like Patrick Maswanganyi and Zakhele Lepasa.

Heading into their clash on Wednesday, Maswanganyi and Lepasa were the most in-form players for Pirates, but they were caged as Sundowns impressed in the 1-0 win.

Mokwena disclosed that he knew these players from their amateur days, which has helped him make tactical decisions.

Shortly after their victory, the tactician stated that he had managed at the heart of where football is in South Africa.

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He told the press via SNL24:

"The greatest benefit of coaching Black Poison is that I get to be right at the heart of where football is. So I've seen Maswanganyi play freely and I know what he can do,.

"I've seen Zakhele Lepasa in a cup final, Black Poison vs Snegege Chillas and scoring the goal against Black Poison, so a lot of people say, 'Ah, this one is obsessed with football, this one has got no social life blah, blah, blah' but really the truth is it helps me to have so much information about who are the players coming, what they are strong at…

"And that background information helps a little bit. We don't plan around any single individual but it's just that we do a lot of work behind the scenes and prepare."

Mokwena inspired by Ancelotti

Sports Brief earlier reported that Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena is one manager who absolutely loves the book and is currently re-reading it.

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The Brazilians’ boss recently shared on social media that he was reading the book for a second time and has already picked up some gems he missed the first time.

He won Serie A with AC Milan, the English Premier League with Chelsea, the Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint-Germain, the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich, and the La Liga title with Real Madrid.