Rulani Mokwena targets trophies as he begins new Pyramids FC challenge

Rulani Mokwena says his priority as the new Pyramids FC head coach is to maintain the club’s status among Egypt’s leading teams and compete for major trophies.

The South African was officially unveiled by Pyramids in Cairo on Tuesday after being appointed to succeed Krunoslav Jurcic.

Mokwena arrives at the Egyptian club with ambitions of building on the progress made in recent seasons, with the 39-year-old insisting Pyramids must continue to challenge for honours.

“My ambition is to continue Pyramids’ presence on the podium in the coming period, and it is a great challenge, but we are ready for it,” Mokwena said during his unveiling.

The former Mamelodi Sundowns coach also paid tribute to Jurcic, crediting the Croatian with helping to transform the mentality of the Pyramids squad.

Jurcic played an important role in establishing a winning culture at the club, and Mokwena believes that foundation will be crucial as he begins his tenure.

“Krunslav Jurcic succeeded in changing the mentality of Pyramids players, and now they have to adapt to our style and achieve what we want from them in the coming period,” he added.

Mokwena said he has already invested significant time in studying his new team, revealing that he watched all of Pyramids’ matches from last season to familiarise himself with the players and understand the strengths and weaknesses of the squad.

The South African believes that preparation will help him make a smooth transition as he seeks to implement his own football philosophy.

“Pyramids is a professional club, so I am excited about this experience and fully prepared for it, as I watched all of the team’s matches last season to get to know everything about the team and the players,” he said.

His appointment represents another significant step in Mokwena’s coaching career after his spell at Wydad Casablanca and his previous success with Mamelodi Sundowns.

At Pyramids, he inherits a club that has established itself as one of the major forces in Egyptian football and is expected to compete on both the domestic and continental fronts.

Mokwena will therefore face immediate pressure to deliver results while preserving the competitive mentality developed under Jurcic.