Former Premier League star and Afcon silver-medalist tips ex-Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rhulani Mokwena to 'be one of the best coaches in the world, not only in Africa'

Rhulani Mokwena has been battling to secure a Caf Champions League spot with Wydad Casablanca for next season.

With Botola Pro League leaders RS Berkane enjoying 17 points clear at the top as five league games remain, that makes it difficult for Wydad to win the league.

But Marumo Gallants coach, Abdeslam Ouaddou, a Moroccan international, feels Mokwena is destined for greatness.

“I don’t have any advice to give to my brother Coach Rulani because he knows very well, the ecosystems,” Ouaddou told iDiski Times.

“But what I can suggest to him is to be patient because Morocco is a land of football, very passionate people. And of course, like in every country, in Mediterranean countries, people are very impatient.

"Plus, you can add this new ecosystem of digital world where the coaches are all the time under pressure because of the social networks, and this doesn’t help the coaches to have more serenity and to work.

"Everybody has to know that a club is like a company now in our days and a project needs time," added the former Fulham defender.

“There is short projects, there is medium projects and there is long-term projects. And I think Coach Rulani is in Morocco for the long term. We should give him time, and I’m sure that if we give him time, he will win trophies and he will bring back Casablanca again in the lights of the African cups, the Champions League in Africa.

“We need just to be patient like in every club, actually, but I understand that in the world of football, a lot of Chairmen have pressure from the fans, and it pushes them sometimes to fire the coach," the 2004 Afcon silver medalist with Morocco continued.

"Definitely, Rulani is the future. He’s the modern coach, and we need to support him because in the future he will be one of the best coaches in the world, not only in Africa.”

Mokwena will be hoping to still be with Wydad by the time they go to the 2025 Fifa Club World Cup in June.

That would come if he does not fall out of favour with his Moroccan bosses as he pushes to claim a Caf Champions League spot for next season.

Wydad are currently third on the Botolo Pro League table with two points fewer than second-placed FAR Rabat.

After the current Fifa international break, Wydad host FUS Rabat in the Moroccan Throne Cup Round of 32 on March 28.

This is also an opportunity for Mokwena to end the season with a piece of silverware.