New Wydad Casablanca head coach Rulani Mokwena could already be plotting a contingency plan, should the club's FIFA transfer ban continue longer than anticipated.
Wydad have attracted three transfer window bans from FIFA, on two counts, for breach of contract with three former employees, who have taken their matters to the governing body.
To date, the FIFA system still shows The Red Castle as banned from registering players, a reality that Mokwena was aware of before signing for the Moroccan giants.
READ: 'Rooney said Pirates players were dancing'
Although the 37-year-old has been given guarantees by management that they will settle the debts, for their ban to be lifted, the time-frames are not clear as to when that would happen, and so he could enter the new season without new signings.
Even more worrying is that the club has lost a lot of their senior players, who left during the off-season.
From Wydad's starting line-up that played in the final against Mamelodi Sundowns in the inaugural African Football League, nine players have already departed.
Mokwena, whose background is youth coaching, has revealed he has started scouting for talent in the club's academy.
"I've spent quite a bit of time this week with Wydad's U19, because the first team has not started. I've spent some time trying to watch the academy, especially the U19s and U16s, to try and see what type of qualities [they have]," Mokwena said on Metro FM Sports.
"I'm actually enjoying it, there are some good potential, some good youngsters. I've always been a lover of giving youngsters a chance, so hopefully we can identify a couple of young players.
"But I'm excited to be at Wydad, for the opportunity. I know it's going to be a difficult one, but I'm really excited to be at one of the best clubs on the African continent."
READ | Mmodi: Why I asked for jersey number 13 at Chiefs
Mokwena himself got his big break at The Brazilians' senior team after he was promoted by former coach Pitso Mosimane from the U19s, where he was coaching.
The Soweto native started off with Masandawana's U13s and then U15s, after he was recruited from the Platinum Stars academy.