Wydad coach Mokwena after Throne Cup exit: "Either we change the mentality...or the coach"

Photo Credit: Wydad Athletic Club

Eliminated in the Round of 16 of Morocco's Coupe du Trône on Saturday after a 1-0 defeat against Moghreb Tetouan, Wydad Casablanca is experiencing a new disappointment. And South African coach Rhulani Mokwena has made no secret of his frustration.

At the press conference, the coach was particularly critical of his players, questioning their commitment and mentality.

"I'm very disappointed. Today we played well, but we didn't win," he said firmly. "A few days ago, we won a match without convincing, and I said I was more satisfied with the result than the content. Tonight, it was the opposite: the performance was decent, but it wasn't enough."

The South African coach dwelled on his players' general attitude, lamenting their lack of responsiveness: "My players only showed a real desire to win in the last ten minutes, after the goal we conceded. Before that, we let 75 minutes slip away without a fight, without the aggressiveness necessary in a competition like the Throne Cup. This is unacceptable."

Visibly irritated, Mokwena delivered a blunt assessment of the club's current situation: "Either we change the mentality, or we change the players... or we change the coach."

The Wydad coach admitted he warned his players at halftime: "I told them: the score is still goalless, but if we don't make the difference, our opponents will. And that's what happened. We had the statistics, the analysis, the keys... but we still have to have the desire to win."

"Some players disappointed me tonight. They weren't at the level expected to represent this club. I'm very angry," he concluded. The elimination against MAT has revived doubts surrounding Wydad's sporting project, while Mokwena, who has only been in his position for a few months, already seems to be sounding the alarm.

EDITOR NOTE: This article was translated from the original written in French by Omar Chraibi for Pan-Africa Football.