New Wydad head coach Rulani Mokwena has revealed why he turned down a 'good offer' from a PSL club following his exit from Mamelodi Sundowns.
Mokwena was officially unveiled as the new head coach of the North African outfit in a press conference last week.
He had landed in Morocco on Thursday to a frenzy of paparazzi following days of speculation that he could be the next man at the helm as Wydad bid to return to the summit of African football.
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Speaking on Metro FM's Sports Night Amplified, the 37-year-old confirmed that an ambitious KwaZulu Natal outfit – fresh off a massive R100 million sponsorship injection – had made an offer for his services.
"There was a good offer from Richards Bay, but I just couldn't stay in South Africa and go up against Sundowns as a coach," he confirmed.
The four-time DStv Premiership champion also revealed that he preferred a move out of the country due to the emotional connection with Sundowns' players, many of whom were as shocked as the rest of the South African football community by his exit.
"One of the reasons why I left South Africa and knowing that Wydad wasn't in the [CAF] Champions League too, is I wasn't looking forward to playing against Sundowns," Mokwena added.
"Not because of the team but because of the emotional connotations, and it would have been very difficult for me to be on the opposite bench and see some of the players.
"So, one of the big motivations was for me to try and leave the country because the bond I have with these players would have made it very difficult for me."
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Although the Natal Rich Boyz have offered Vusumuzi Vilakazi a new deal after helping them avoid relegation, it would appear they were never going to let an opportunity to sign a coach of the calibre of Mokwena once he became available.
For now, Vilakazi remains in charge.