Rhulani Mokwena Stuck in Salary Stand-Off at Wydad Casablanca

Football isn’t just about tactics and title races—sometimes it’s an endurance test against off-field chaos. South African coach Rhulani Mokwena has learned this firsthand during his rocky eight months at Moroccan powerhouse Wydad Casablanca. Despite the club’s big name and high ambitions, Mokwena and his staff have reportedly gone without pay since July 2024, stirring up a storm and making headlines across African football.

The salary saga doesn’t end with just the head coach. His trusted crew—Allan Freese, Sinethemba Badela, and goalkeeper coach Sean Louw—are all caught in the same bind. Frustrated by months-long delays, Mokwena has even dug into his own pocket for crucial training equipment, trying to keep day-to-day work afloat. That’s hardly what you expect for someone with a six-figure monthly contract. His agent, Steve Kapelushnik, wasn’t taking anything on faith and jetted into Morocco in person to press the club for answers.

The public story from Wydad is quite different from the coaches’ reality. Instead of admitting the size of the problem, Wydad officials insist that only two months’ salary is outstanding. But sources with access to the club’s books paint a gloomier picture—showing ongoing disputes, incomplete payments, and staff feeling left in the lurch. Leaked internal documents only made things messier, prompting the club to hunt for the source of the leaks just days before the high-stakes Casablanca derby. The board, led by president Hicham Aït Menna, has scrambled to control the narrative. He publicly stated Mokwena's monthly pay is about $100,000 and doubled down on his intent to see Mokwena lead the team until the season closes, despite growing outside pressure and internal unease.

Tense Locker Room, Uncertain Future

With less than a season under his belt, Mokwena’s tenure at Wydad has been a rough ride. He arrived in April 2024 following a high-profile exit from South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns, aiming to power Wydad back into African football’s elite. Instead, he got a crash course in behind-the-scenes battles. The timing of this financial drama couldn’t be worse—Wydad remains stuck in fourth place in the Botola Pro League, trailing the likes of RS Berkane. That puts Mokwena under pressure to scrape together a second-place finish and keep alive their hopes for CAF Champions League football next year. Cup failures and wage chaos have only made things worse for team morale.

Despite everything, Mokwena’s focus hasn’t wavered. He’s pushing his squad to claw their way up the league table while ignoring distractions swirling around the boardroom. Not every coach would still have their eyes on the pitch under these circumstances, let alone carry on with the day-to-day while personally footing equipment bills. The ongoing circus around his contract has led to concerns among the squad, with players and staff keenly aware of what unstable leadership could mean for their own futures at the club.

Meanwhile, Wydad’s front office is feeling the heat from both fans and the football community. The Casablanca derby—the season’s most anticipated fixture—looms ahead, adding fuel to an already volatile situation. Investigations into leaked payroll information underline how high tensions have run behind closed doors. For now, Mokwena and his assistants remain at the helm, but the salary crisis has forced uncomfortable questions about how business really gets done at one of North Africa’s most famous football clubs.