South African coach Rulani Mokwena was officially appointed as the new head coach of Algerian giants MC Alger on Monday, after beating several big names to land the job.
The 38-year-old was out of work following his departure from Moroccan heavyweights Wydad Athletic Club in April after failing to qualify the team for the CAF Champions League.
Mokwena, who is one of the highly rated coaches on the continent, now takes the reins at MC Alger, succeeding veteran coach Khaled Ben Yahia, whose contract expired at the end of last season.
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During the selection process, he was shortlisted alongside several high-profile African and European coaches. According to Farpost, amongst those he beat to the role was his former Mamelodi Sundowns colleague, Manqoba Mngqithi, who is currently head coach of Golden Arrows.
Several reports also linked French tacticians Hubert Velud and Patrice Carteron to the position, with both said to have been strong contenders due to their extensive experience in football.
Additionally, Algerian veteran coach Noureddine Zekri was tipped as a potential candidate to lead the club from within the country. However, despite the competition, Mokwena emerged as the preferred choice.
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The Soweto-born mentor, who previously held roles at Orlando Pirates and Sundowns, now faces the challenge of guiding Alger through the upcoming season with high expectations from both fans and management.
