Abdeslam Ouaddou asserts that the FIFA break will not diminish Pirates' momentum!

The Moroccan is confident in his team's abilities.

Africa Today at 13:57

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Abdeslam Ouaddou asserts that the FIFA break will not diminish Pirates' momentum!

Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou holds a different view from many of his peers regarding the Fifa international break.

While other coaches often worry that the pause disrupts their team's momentum, Ouaddou is not concerned about the current recess impacting his squad. He stated that the break actually comes at the perfect moment, as it allows for some much-needed rest for the players.

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This positive outlook follows a strong period for the Buccaneers, who secured five consecutive league victories, including a recent 2-0 win against Marumo Gallants at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium on Sunday. As the team heads into this recess, Ouaddou is enthusiastic about the opportunity it provides for his players to recover properly following a demanding schedule across the league, MTN8, and Caf Champions League competitions.

Orlando Pirates coach confident in his team

As the squad transitions into a scheduled pause, Coach Ouaddou is looking forward to the benefits it brings. He is enthusiastic about the upcoming downtime, viewing it as a crucial window for his players to fully recover from the grueling demands of their recent fixtures across the league, the MTN8, and the Caf Champions League.

He elaborated on his rationale, stating, "To be honest, we've been playing for almost three days for two months. I always say that in a periodisation, you need to have at least a moment of regeneration break. It is very important."

Furthermore, he stressed the necessity of managing player welfare, explaining, "You cannot push the players until you break them, and we asked them a lot in terms of physical effort and in terms of concentration because they have many rules to follow, the game plan, and different opposition to play."

They are currently second in the PSL, but their performance is good

Reflecting on the team's performance so far, Ouaddou highlighted their strong defensive record and points tally. With seven matches played and 19 points secured—placing them just one point behind the log leaders, Mamelodi Sundowns, who still have a game in hand—the coach expressed his satisfaction, noting that the team has only conceded a single goal.

He remarked, "We have finished the first cycle. When I say the first cycle, it's since June 24, since we started until the first Fifa break. I think my boys really did well." Acknowledging the challenges faced along the way, he added, "We had some difficult moments since the beginning, but at least we scored a lot of goals. We didn't concede too much."