Saint-Eloi Lupopo Coach Heaps Praise on 'Modern' South African Coach as CAF Champions League Tests Loom

Saint-Eloi Lupopo coach Guy Bukasa has heaped praise on MC Alger coach Rulani Mokwena as one of the best ahead of their CAF Champions League group stage campaign.

Saint-Eloi Lupopo begin their campaign against Mamelodi Sundowns this Saturday, November 22, before taking on Al Hilal on November 28. The Congolese club will then take on MC Alger on January 23.

Ahead of the test, Guy Bukasa's history of defying expectations may explain his admiration for Rulani Mokwena, another young coach known for upending the status quo. He sees the former Mamelodi Sundowns manager as a trailblazer for a new generation of African tacticians.

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“Mokwena is a modern coach who loves to take risks, because in our job, if you aren’t taking risks, they can’t see you,” Guy Bukasa explained in an interview with FARPost.

“What I appreciate about him is that he’s very consistent. He’s not a coach who will change his philosophy because of a bad result. No, he has a philosophy.”

At 38, Rulani Mokwena is part of a movement Guy Bukasa believes is revolutionising the sport from the touchline.

While many elite African clubs and national teams still favour European coaches, Guy Bukasa is confident that young African managers are ready to lead the continent's biggest teams.

“It’s not easy because the market is full of European coaches, and most of them are old. Some of our club presidents feel comfortable dealing with them, and we respect that,” he stated. “But honestly, I think it’s time now. It’s time for African coaches to wake up.”

When Saint-Eloi Lupopo faced Orlando Pirates in the CAF Champions League last month, few predicted a Congolese victory.

The club had never reached the group stages of Africa's premier competition, and the man leading them, Guy Bukasa, was a relative unknown.

Having taken the helm just weeks earlier after a spell with the DR Congo U-20 national team, Guy Bukasa was considered inexperienced by modern standards. His first major test could not have been more formidable.

"When we played Pirates, our league in Congo hadn't started. We went straight into the Champions League. I took my team to Tunisia for a training camp. We had a very difficult game there, but I was looking to instil a new mentality in them," he revealed.

The Champions League preliminary tie against Orlando Pirates began on October 19, 2025, with the first leg in Lubumbashi, where Saint-Eloi Lupopo secured a commanding 3-0 victory over the Soweto giants.

The Buccaneers faced a mountain to climb in the return leg a week later, on October 25, 2025, at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto, South Africa. In a thrilling encounter, the Orlando Pirates clawed their way back, winning the second leg 3-0 in regulation time to level the aggregate score at 3-3.

However, the dramatic turnaround ended in heartbreak during the penalty shootout. Saint Eloi Lupopo held their nerve to win the shootout 5-4, confirming their spot in the group stages and eliminating Orlando Pirates.