Rulani Mokwena brutally honest on Al Ittihad SC task

After two weeks on the job at Al Ittihad SC, coach Rulani Mokwena has been brutally honest with the assessment of the task at hand and how long it would take to implement his playing philosophy.

The South African gave an update on life at the Libyan Premier League club, highlighting the baby steps he has taken so far on the technical side and his impression of the players’ attitude.

Lorch’s Goal Against Wydad

Rhulani Mokwena & Thembinkosi Lorch Claim Convincing Win

Result: 🇲🇦Wydad AC 0-3 Al Ittihad🇱🇾

Nyoso dazzled as a left winger – grabbing a goal with a header at the back post & a pre-assist in a friendly match played in Morocco.

Al Ittihad will head… pic.twitter.com/l4CSpSR4dJ

— Austin Ditlhobolo (@A_B_Ditlhobolo) March 30, 2026

“I am very happy to be here,” the former South Africa’s Premier Soccer League (PSL) well-known figure told Al Ittihad Facebook page.

“The team is ambitious with quality players, but the team is the star, not individuals.

“In this short period, we cannot change everything. My focus is on improving details, because they make the difference.”

What Rulani Mokwena makes of Al Ittihad players

The former Mouloudia Club d’Alger (MC Alger) mentor then shared insights on what he makes of the quality and attitude of players at the Libyan Premier League side.

“What impressed me most is the players’ willingness to learn and work hard. This is just the beginning, and we are still getting to know them,” he explained.

“In the training camp, we focused on compactness, positioning and pressing with small adjustments in distances, timing and actions. Identity cannot be built in five days; it needs consistency and repetition.

What we see now are early signs. The players are responding well, but reaching the desired level takes time, which is the biggest challenge.

“Mentally, we are working on responsibility. Playing without fans is not easy, so motivation must be stronger and standards consistent. The training camp was an important first step and gave us a clear idea of what to improve.”

How Mokwena has fared with Al Ittihad so far

Al Ittihad are camping in Morocco where they have played two friendlies so far—losing 2-1 to Al-Husni last Thursday before bouncing back to overcome his former employers, Wydad AC 3-0 on Monday. Bafana Bafana’s discarded star Thembinkosi Lorch was among the scorers for the visitors.

The PSL award-winning coach secured employment with Al Ittihad after parting ways with MC Alger last month, leaving them while they sat five points clear at the Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 summit.

The 39-year-old walked out on the Algerian side after CAF Champions League exit was followed by indifferent results in the domestic league.

On March 14, Mokwena finally announced he had left his role soon after MC Alger’s 3-2 defeat at the hands of Sead Ramovic’s CR Belouizdad in the Coupe d’Algeria (Algerian Cup).

MC Alger appointed Tunisian Khaled Ben Yahia as the team’s new head coach, replacing Mokwena. Yahia signed a contract that will keep him in charge of the team until June 2027.