Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane believes Rhulani Mokwena has returned to Downs as an improved man and coach, while also hailing the value he will add at Chloorkop.

Mokwena made his big break in professional football as Mosimane’s assistant at Sundowns before leaving the club for Orlando Pirates.

At the Buccaneers, Rhulani worked in tandem with Milutin Sredojevic, as his assistant, and helped turn things around for the Soweto giants, until the Serb’s shock departure after which he took over as interim head coach in what was a largely unsuccessful spell.

He then left Pirates upon the arrival of Josef Zinnbauer and joined Chippa United on a short loan spell as head coach.

However, when his Pirates contact expired, and thus his deal with Chippa, Rhulani was unemployed which opened the door for a return to the Brazilians.

Speaking about his return, Mosimane hailed Mokwena as the prodigal son and praised the growth which the young coach has made.

‘What can I say? I think maybe it’s going to be the talk of the town. I think maybe we should focus on him coming back? Why him? It’s because of the value he adds, because he started his career here. He’d been here for so many years,’ said Mosimane.

‘Of course he did move on, like anybody else. I have also moved on [in my career]. We are all coaches. We are ambitious. You want to see “What’s in it for me”, and you will try and test yourself. Why not?

‘He’s very brave as a young coach to move, explore and see what’s in it for him. It’s not many coaches who can do that. He did, which is good.

‘He’s now a better person, better coach, because three years down the line he’s learned a lot,’ Mosimane added.

‘He was a head coach, so the mental side, the character becomes different. And he had his own challenges and successes.

‘He comes back a much better coach in terms of his experience now. He has seen things, he has coached as a head coach, he has moved on. I’m receiving an improved Rhulani.

‘The good thing is you don’t tell him “This is how we play”. We have never changed the way we play,’ continued Mosimane.

‘When he left, he left with a classified book. And he has brought it back. Now we need to edit and upgrade the book. He catches up quickly because he’s intelligent.’