Rulani Mokwena challenges Sundowns’ Bongani Zungu to step up

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena has challenged midfielder Bongani Zungu that he must fight for his place in the team.

Since his arrival from France at the beginning of the season, Zungu only made his first start after 20 matches this week.

This was during the 3-2 win over Richards Bay FC in the Nedbank Cup this week and it seems based on Mokwena’s sentiment, nobody is guaranteed a spot in the DStv Premiership log leaders.

Mokwena is now asking the real Zungu to stand up and he must never think he is ‘’entitled’ to make his way into the starting eleven.

The 30-year-old anchorman, who spent five years in Europe with Vitória Guimarães in Portugal, Amiens SC in France, and Rangers in Scotland, has only made eight appearances in all competitions this season.

“Good player, but he has come into a very good squad,” Mokwena told the media after the Nedbank Cup match.

“That’s football and football has very little regard for name, reputation or money. If you put something in and invest, football will give back. Zungu has to understand that, he has to compete with everybody in the squad and that’s life and life is unfair.

“Those are the empowerment values we try to give to all our players — that everybody must fight for a place in the team like you fight to achieve general things in life.

“You have to fight to achieve a starting place in this team, you have to fight to be in the good physical condition and concentrate — those are the values life will demand from you.”

Mokwena said no player or club is entitled to football and that he is inspired by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.

“I was listening to a podcast where Liverpool coach Jürgen Klopp was speaking about the difference between entitlement and empowerment,” he added.

“He was saying he is not coaching players to give them a sense of entitlement but to give them a sense of empowerment.

“It is the same for all our players. Our players have a lot of good qualities and everybody should be good enough to play — that’s why they are here.”

Up next for the Brazilians, the Tshwane giants will face CAF Champions League Group B opponents Al-Hilal at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Saturday.  

Main Image: Bongani Zungu & Rulani Mokwena/SowetanLIVE

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