Rulani Opens Up About His Tumultuous Relationship With Ramovic

MC Alger coach Rulani Mokwena has broken his silence on his tumultuous relationship with CR Belouizdad coach Sead Ramovic, saying he prefers to keep a low profile and focus on things he can control.

The two coaches have a complex history, with their conflicts dating back to 2023 when they faced each other in the Carling Knockout in the first round. 

In that match, Ramovic’s TS Galaxy eliminated Mokwena’s Mamelodi Sundowns 5-4 on penalties after the teams played out a thrilling encounter that saw Sundowns come back from 2-0 down to force extra time.

The tension between the two coaches escalated after the match, with Mokwena attributing the loss to injuries and the unavailability of key players, citing that seven of his players were with Bafana Bafana at the time.

However, Ramovic criticized Mokwena’s comments, viewing them as an attempt to deflect blame from the result.

The situation took a dark turn when Bongani Zungu’s career-threatening tackle left Bernard Parker with a serious leg injury in that match.

In the months that followed, their relationship was marked by claims of disrespect, disputed phone calls, and even threats of legal action.

Despite their tumultuous past, Mokwena is choosing to focus on his team’s success rather than engaging in public feuds.

“About that, I think you guys can see that I speak less in the media,” he said in an exclusive interview with SAFJA.

“I try to keep a very low profile and focus on the things I can really control, and I try to get rid of some of the things.”

Mokwena emphasized the importance of eliminating unnecessary distractions and maintaining mental toughness.

“There’s one thing I’ve learned here (in Algeria) because I read a lot – and they call it mental fatigue.

“Some of the best leaders and presidents in the world try to eliminate things that are unnecessary in decision-making,” he explained.

“So, I try to eliminate some unnecessary things and I only focus on the more important things. I also demand a little bit more from myself mentally, and I think that’s all I can say about this.”

Currently, Mokwena’s MC Alger tops the Algerian Ligue 1 standings with 22 points in eight games, remaining the only unbeaten team in the league. CR Belouizdad, on the other hand, sits in ninth position with 14 points in nine games.

As both teams prepare to begin the group stage of their respective CAF competitions, with MC Alger participating in the CAF Champions League and CR Belouizdad competing in the CAF Confederation Cup, Mokwena’s focus on his team’s success is likely to remain the priority.

The two teams are yet to face each other in the Algerian Ligue 1 this season, but their contrasting league positions and continental aspirations are set to create an intriguing

backdrop to their future encounters.