Rhulani Mokwena, now coaching MC Alger, has rejected claims of colluding with a former colleague to spy on Mamelodi Sundowns ahead of their CAF Champions League match.
Rhulani Mokwena, the coach of MC Alger, addressed allegations of spying on his former club, Mamelodi Sundowns, during a press interaction at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Friday. The accusations stem from claims that Mokwena worked with Sundowns performance analyst Mario Masha to obtain confidential tactical information for the upcoming CAF Champions League clash between MC Alger and Sundowns.
SABC Sport had reported on Monday that Masha was suspended after allegedly leaking team data to Mokwena, who previously coached at Sundowns. In a prepared statement, Mokwena firmly denied the spying charges. "I have made a conscious decision not to respond to rumours, and gossip or accusations, but a respected journalist spoke and shared information which I feel is very important to take a few minutes to clarify," he said.
Mokwena highlighted his long history with Sundowns, starting from the academy levels up to the senior team. "I am a product of Mamelodi Sundowns. I have coached in the academy structures from under-15 to under-17 to under-19, and eventually to the senior team," he explained. He emphasized his dedication, stating, "Many things can be said about me personally as a human being and as a coach, but never that I do not invest in my career, never that I don’t take my job seriously, and never that I don’t work very hard."
Regarding the conversations with Masha, Mokwena described them as professional discussions about UEFA licenses, past collaborations at Sundowns, and general tactical ideas, including examples from Manchester City. He insisted no current Sundowns plans or confidential material were shared. Mokwena also expressed concern for Masha, noting he would not compromise the analyst's integrity, and pointed out that Masha’s privacy had been invaded in connection to the allegations.
