Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane believes that Rhulani Mokwena will succeed at Orlando Pirates.

Mokwena was given the hot seat at the Soweto giants following the resignation of Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic on Friday.

Mokwena has been touted by many as one of the best up-and-coming coaches in the country and Mosimane, his former colleague at Sundowns, believes that the young coach must grab the opportunity he has been given.

‘I’ve sent Rulani a text to wish him luck. He’s been looking for an opportunity. Now he must just fly,’ Mosimane told the Daily Sun.

‘I’ve said long ago, when he was next to me, that he’s going to be better than me in future. But he still has to travel the road.’

Mokwena’s reign at Pirates though got off to a rocky start as they lost 1-0 to Highlands Park in the MTN8 quarter-finals on Saturday evening, but Mosimane insists that losing is part of football.

‘He must never worry about the loss [MTN8] because it’s part of football. They’ll always be there. He must never worry. I’ve lost three games in a row, and I know how it feels when you lose three.

‘Everybody starts to talk, starts to write you off … everybody finds mistakes. He’ll calm down. I’ll talk to him if I have to. But I don’t want to interfere. But my advice is losses are part of the game. It’s part of growth.

‘I just hope it won’t be a situation where people start saying, ‘You see, we told you, he won’t make it as a head coach.’ Like Seema [Lehlohonolo of Bloemfontein Celtic] is being given a chance. He must,’ he explained.