Do-or-die for Mokwena! Under-fire Rhulani desperate to avoid Wydad sack as Casablanca derby approaches after FIFA break - ‘My intention is to stay for as long as I possibly can’

Rhulani Mokwena has experienced mixed results on and off the field since arriving in Morocco.

The 38-year-old joined Wydad Casablanca to restore their dominance and secure a Champions League spot.

Despite a shaky start, he managed to stabilise the team midway through the season. Currently, Wydad sits in third place with five games remaining, trailing league leaders RS Berkane by 17 points.

Mokwena recently addressed the media, emphasising that the upcoming international break will help his team regain form.

He acknowledged their recent struggles, having drawn four consecutive matches.

The South African coach also admitted full responsibility for their current results. Despite the setbacks, he remains optimistic about finishing the season on a high note.

"My job is to win games, I'm not winning games at the moment and I have to take responsibility. Four draws in a row is not good for Wydad and that is very clear," Mokwena told the press after the latest result, as reported by Kickoff.

"So, we have a very important break, we have to discuss a lot of things and of course, I know one of the things we will discuss and you want to discuss as the media is the future of the coach.

"And that's okay, that's normal, but you have to understand I'm here for three years. My intention is to stay for as long as I possibly can, but to stay you need results and that's very important. The players understand that," Mokwena said.

"I will only focus on the derby after the FIFA break. For now, we have to see how we go forward," he responded when asked about the looming encounter."

In the 2023/24 season, Wydad finished sixth with 44 points after 30 games.

This season, Mokwena is already one point away from matching that tally with five games still to play.

In 25 matches under his leadership, Wydad has won 11, drawn 10, and lost only four.

His Moroccan journey has also seen the arrival of two South Africans—Cassius Mailula and Tembinkosi Lorch.

Mailula was named Player of the Month in January, while Lorch has already opened his goal account for the club.

Wydad now turns their attention to the Excellence Cup, where they will face JS Soualem.

The last time the two sides met in this competition, Wydad suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat.

Mokwena will be eager to see his team bounce back and progress in the tournament.

A victory would also boost confidence ahead of the final stretch of the league campaign.