Can Mokwena eclipse Mosimane's success at Mamelodi Sundowns? - Marlin insists the two can’t be compared

• Mosimane and Mokwena worked together for years
• Mokwena is regarded as Pitso's prodigy
• Now, comparisons between the two have emerged

WHAT HAPPENED? Mosimane enjoyed a trophy-laden eight-year spell at Sundowns with Mokwena one of his assistants for a part of that stint. Now, Mokwena is Sundowns head coach and is five months into this job.

The 36-year-old tactician is on course to end the season with a treble as Sundowns look set to be crowned Premier Soccer League champions. The Brazilians are also in contention for the Nedbank Cup and are also chasing their biggest target which is the Caf Champions League crown.

Winning a treble a few months into his job would be a massive achievement for Mokwena and claiming the Champions League would see his name engraved in history books as the second Masandawana coach to bag it after Mosimane.

More comparisons between master and student would be inevitable but Marlin feels it’s still too early.

WHAT WAS SAID: “I don’t think we can compare Rhulani Mokwena to Pitso just yet because he has been successful at other clubs too, in Egypt and now he is in Saudi Arabia,” Marlin told ThisIsFootball.Africa.

“First Rulani must win a major trophy and then possibly go and coach another team. He has to leave Sundowns and be successful there too. I mean he is only getting started so it is early days.

“I can’t speak about his time at Orlando Pirates because a lot of coaches have struggled there too. But for him to be considered better than Pitso Mosimane one day he will need to win trophies first and then go test himself at another, the way Pitso did.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: The debate between fans comparing Mokwena to Mosimane is already raging especially on social media. Different views continue being expressed between the divided fans.

The Sundowns job is Mokwena’s only second head coach role after a brief stint at Orlando Pirates. When Mosimane arrived at Masandawana in 2012, he had previously spent five years at SuperSport United as well as two years at the helm of Bafana Bafana.

WHAT NEXT FOR MOKWENA? The youthful coach takes his side to Omdurman where they will face Sudanese giants Al Hilal in Saturday's Champions League Group B penultimate match.

Mokwena is hoping to be the second Al Ahly coach to win the Champions League title after Mosimane.

This continental title has been eluding Masandawana since Mosimane guided them to the 2016 crown.