Mokwena free to join Ittihad after Algeria arrest
· Citizen
Rulani Mokwena seems set to join Libyan giants Al-Ittihad, but his move across North Africa from Algeria has not been without incident.
Mokwena under arrest
The former Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns head coach found himself arrested at Houari Boumediene Airport in Algiers for leaving the country with undeclared foreign currency.
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With the assistance of the South African Embassy in Algiers, Mokwena was cleared to leave Algeria, but only after receiving a two-month suspended sentence.
Mokwena joined Algerian giants MC Alger eight months ago, but left after failing to get them to the Caf Champions League quarterfinals, and following a 3-2 loss to rivals CR Belouizdad in the Algerian Cup quarterfinals.
He did leave MC Alger five points clear at the top of Algeria’s Ligue 1, however, and the Citizen reported this week that the club’s supporters were not impressed by his sudden departure.
“Alger are still number one on the log and, after the club supported him so much, they felt that he should have at least seen the season through,” a source in Algeria told The Citizen.
It seems the chance of a lucrative move to Libya was too tempting for Mokwena, who will join a familiar face at Al-Ittihad.
Former Pirates and Sundowns forward Thembinkosi Lorch moved there from Wydad Casablanca in February.
SABC Sport also reported yesterday that Mokwena will be bringing many other South Africans to join him in Libya.
According to the public broadcaster, assistant coach Sinethemba Badela, goalkeeper coach Wendell Robinson, performance analyst Sbu Makitla and masseur Thabiso Moshane are all set to be part of Mokwena’s backroom staff.
Top of the table
Al-Ittihad, based in the Libyan capital of Tripoli, are currently nine points clear at the top of their domestic league after just 12 games.
Tunisian Khaled Ben Yahia took over the club at the end of October, just after they had been knocked out of the Caf Confederation Cup in the preliminary rounds by Egypt’s Al Masry.
Ben Yahia, however, left Al-Ittihad at the end of February and, in a true case of coaching roundabouts, is now Mokwena’s replacement at MC Alger.
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One of Mokwena’s main tasks with Al-Ittihad is set to be guiding them to greater success in the continental game.
The Libyan giants certainly signalled their intentions with the signing of Lorch, as well as Burkina Faso attacking star Aziz Ki.