Kennedy Mweene: Mamelodi Sundowns veteran goalkeeper gets coaching role at the club

• Sundowns have handed Mweene a role in the dugout

• The Zambian will work with the club’s goalkeepers

• Mweene has not featured for Masandawana this season

WHAT HAPPENED? Mokwena revealed that Mweene started his journey into coaching on Saturday when he was part of the technical bench as Sundowns beat Orlando Pirates 1-0 to stretch their winning run to 15 straight matches.

The 38-year-old stood in for goalkeeper coach Wendell Robinson, who is serving a two-match ban, but he seems set to get a permanent role on the backroom staff given Marcus Mashilo, who was serving as the club’s second goalkeeper coach, is no longer with Masandawana.

Mweene has been with Sundowns since 2013, competing with Uganda international Dennis Onyango, before both lost their place following the arrival of Bafana Bafana No.1 Ronwen Williams from SuperSport United in July 2022.

With Reyaad Pieterse also at the club, Mweene has not featured for the Brazilians this season and the club now looks set to utilise his skills and experience in the dugout.

WHAT DID HE SAY? “Yes, he’s [Mweene] doubling up into a role that we envisage for him in the long-term for sure,” said Mokwena as quoted by SABC.

“He’s going to be doing his coaching badges very soon, he’s just applied for that. And it’s only that natural progression in life when you move from playing and have a keen interest in coaching. Kennedy has that.

“He has been an incredible servant for this football club, and in South African football. He has won the Caf Champions League, the Afcon and so there’s incredible benefits for the club to inherit in a coaching capacity.

“The universe works in incredible ways, even when we deem ourselves not ready. God calls you to step up and respond to the calling.

“Congratulations to him for his first match [on Saturday] on the bench as a goalkeeper coach in the interim, we want to thank him for his contribution.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Mweene’s new role will ease the competition, somewhat, for Williams and Onyango with Pieterse also getting some minutes.

The 2012 Africa Cup of Nations winner joined Sundowns from Free State Stars and has made 119 appearances for the Brazilians, winning six PSL titles as well as the 2016 Caf Champions League.

WHAT’S NEXT? Mweene will be part of the technical bench when Sundowns host Richards Bay in the Nedbank Cup on Tuesday.