Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena has opened up about Thembinkosi Lorch’s controversial Instagram Live video.
The 30-year-old won his first league title in his career after Sundowns secured their seventh straight league title for the 2023-24 season.
Lorch celebrated his side’s triumph by going live on his social media account on Sunday and was seen celebrating with two females, reportedly under the under the influence of alcohol.
In an interview with Andile Ncube on MetroFM, Mokwena his disappointment at Lorch and revealed the attacker was in tears after a phone call with the Sundowns mentor.
“Like everybody else, Lorch is human, Like me, who makes mistakes, who is imperfect,” Mokwena told Andile Ncube on MetroFM.
“I’m probably even more imperfect than him and I make probably more mistakes than him.
“But I cannot go deep into this issue because I still have to discuss it with him face to face. He phoned me and he was in tears. And that broke me, for sure.
“Because I’m close to my players, when my players are crying and are emotional, I get emotional, and I cry and I feel their pain too. And that’s how close I am with them.
“But I don’t want to talk too much about the issue except to say that I am extremely disappointed because I have said that to him on the phone.
“And the rest of what we will discuss and say will be in person. Particularly because my biggest disappointment is the going live [on Instagram]. I’ve seen Phil Foden and I’ve seen I’ve seen some of the best players enjoy themselves and celebrate the title successes…
“But we also have to understand the role we hold in society, that says ours is to inspire and educate and serve. We’ve got a bigger role than just what people think.
“And part to a professional footballer’s career is not just looking after your talent, but it’s looking after your career. And looking after your career means managing even all the other stuff that is around the career.”
The Sundowns mentor added that he speak to the winger in private following his behaviour on social media.
“I have to speak to him in person first, and he has to hear my feelings about the incident and how I view the incident in its entirety,” he added.
“And that involves what I know from the past, what I know from my time having spent with him in the previous club at Pirates. And that is a discussion, unfortunately is not for public consumption.
“As I said, it’s individual it’s a one-on-one and it’s one that has to take place with respect, but also with also a clear understanding of what is allowed and tolerated at Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club and what is not.”
Photo by Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix
