Orlando Pirates coach unfazed by rivals in three-horse title race, says Abdeslam Ouaddou
Betway Premiership
Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou is ignoring the noise from Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs as the Sea Robbers eye the top spot. Photo: Itumeleng English Independent Media
Image: Itumeleng English Independent Media
Abdeslam Ouaddou is not a coach easily rattled. So convinced is he by his tactical blueprint and the environment he has built at Orlando Pirates that the progress of their rivals barely registers on his radar.
Ouaddou has gone about his business effectively at the Sea Robbers since the start of the season, despite it being only his first campaign at the club and just his second in the PSL top flight.
Pirates are one game away from reaching the halfway mark of the Betway Premiership. Such has been the progression of the team, the notable synergy among the players, and the coaching strategy, that they are tipped to knock Mamelodi Sundowns off their perch and end a 14-year title drought.
They still face competition from both Sundowns and their sworn enemies, Kaizer Chiefs, who are flanking them in first and third place on the log, respectively. The "Big Three" are living up to their billing by turning the race into a three-horse title chase.
Pirates have a slightly lighter workload than their rivals. They crashed out of the CAF Champions League group-stage qualifiers, while Sundowns are competing in the group stage of that competition and Chiefs are in the CAF Confederation Cup group stage.
The Sea Robbers’ sole focus on domestic matters has already paid dividends; they finished top of the log at the break and won both the MTN8 and Carling Knockout. So, with two other domestic honours – the league title and the Nedbank Cup – still up for grabs, can Pirates emulate last year’s success?
“I would like to answer that question,” Ouaddou said, after his team’s 2–0 win over Magesi at the newly rebranded Orlando Amstel Arena on Saturday night.
“Personally, I think that is far from what we are doing now. We are only focused on our target and what we want to achieve with Orlando Pirates.
"I don’t like to speak about other teams. Of course, those games (against them) are still far away. We want to focus on the league now and the Nedbank Cup.”
With Sundowns and Chiefs having been busy with continental duties over the weekend, Pirates have a chance to leapfrog Sundowns at the summit when they visit AmaZulu in a catch-up league match at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Tuesday night (7.30pm kick-off).
A win against Usuthu would also be a huge morale booster ahead of Pirates’ away trip to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) in the Nedbank Cup last 32, also at Moses Mabhida on Saturday.
The Sea Robbers are undoubtedly favourites against the ABC Motsepe League side, something that might prompt a coach to rotate, but Ouaddou insisted they will respect TTM and field their strongest available team.
“We’ll approach that competition the same way we’ve approached all the other competitions,” Ouaddou said. “We play every game to win. We are going to put out a strong team against TTM because we only have strong players in our squad.”
Ouaddou is also ensuring he has his best squad overall by integrating new signings. Striker André de Jong and midfielder Daniel Msendami made their respective debuts from the bench against Magesi. De Jong instantly became a fan favourite among "The Ghost", receiving a standing ovation when he came on.
“When you bring in new players, I think it was the right moment to show them to our fans as well,” Ouaddou said.
“They did well because it’s not easy to arrive at a new team and integrate. The time I gave them, they used it well, and that gives us a lot of hope for the future.”