Chippa United head coach Rhulani Mokwena insists leaving Mamelodi Sundowns for Orlando Pirates was the right decision despite the criticism he received from a section of football fans around the country at the time.
Mokwena joined the Buccaneers almost three years ago after a trophy-laden career as a second assistant to coach Pitso Mosimane.
While he and Micho Sredojevic worked tirelessly in taking Pirates to where they are, things didn't go according to plan as the team didn't win any major trophies although they twice came close to winning the league in the first two seasons.
"Some people believe it was a mistake to leave Sundowns for Orlando Pirates but I'm always of the opinion that it was the right decision and I am still of the opinion that it was the right decision," Mokwena said in an interview with Lesedi FM.
Mokwena believes the Sea Robbers are a big institution with one of the smartest chairmen in the country in Dr. Irvin Khoza, and he feels he learned a lot during his time with the club.
"I think Orlando Pirates is a big institution with probably one of the wisest chairmen around apart from all the other things that people talk about and know within the organisation but it's a fantastic organisation to work for," he continued.
"You learn a lot and sometimes you learn the good and the bad and you are able to grow.
"And even with the difficulties and when your job is made difficult, you are able to know that this is preparation and all that makes you grow. It makes you a better person."
The 35-year-old mentor went further to speak about the experience he gained while working for both Sundowns and Pirates, saying it supersedes the experience one garners at relatively smaller teams in the country.
"If you look at the experience that I have been fortunate to gather at Sundowns and even at Pirates," he continued.
"You can see that the quality of experience is worth more than being an assistant anywhere else or being a head coach in one of the smaller teams in the country because you can't buy that experience - I mean the experience of working with top players."