Former Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena has a myriad of issues to deal with at Wydad Casablanca, but it is his long-term future at the club that will keep him awake at night.
Wydad have a range of issues currently derailing the club, which has led to them missing out on qualifying for the CAF Champions League for the first time in nine years, after they finished sixth in the standings, in the previous Botola Pro season.
Among other problematic issues hanging on the head of Mokwena is the fact that the Red Castle are currently banned by FIFA from registering players, as they have defaulted payments to three former employees, with each default attracting its own separate ban.
READ | Why Rulani won't give PSL players favours
However, the biggest worry for the former Sundowns mentor, directly involved with his role, would be the instability of head coaches at the Moroccan giants.
Since 2018, only one coach, Walid Regragui, has lasted for at least a full season at Wydad and even then, he did not last any longer after he left his post to be in charge of the Morocco national team.
The hot seat at the Casablanca giants has ejected coaches before they could complete a full season since then.
Even before the appointment of Regragui in 2021, no coach has lasted for at least two full seasons at Wydad since John Toshack between 2014 and 2016 and the only one to do so since Badou Zaki between 2008 and 2010.
Mokwena, heading into such an environment, is aware of the coaching instability.
"I was tempted not to bring too many bags, because of the nature of the job you know the story," Mokwena said on Radio 2000, as he explained that he is yet to settle in Morocco.
The 37-year-old coach also revealed that the reason why he is yet to finalize his technical team is because coaches are skeptical of the challenge facing them.
"We haven't finalized [the technical team], it's a difficult one because I've accepted a project that everyone is saying to me 'Where are you going!? The club is on a free fall, it's a mess, the former president is in jail, they are not paying players, there's this, there that'," Mokwena went on.
READ | Rulani goes back to his roots to cope with Wydad's FIFA ban
"But okay guys, what have I got to lose? I've got absolutely nothing to lose. The experience of coaching in a different country, with a different environment, there's more learn, more to gain, it's a great challenge. It's unbelievable, with incredible supporters," the former Pirates coach added.
Mokwena has confirmed that so far only former Sundowns Diski Challenge head coach Sinethemba Badela has joined him at Wydad.