Abdeslam Ouaddou hits back at Pirates legends amid showboating debate

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has hit back at the club's legends amid an ongoing debate over showboating, with the Bucs mentor reiterating his stance on the tricks inside the pitch.

This comes after the 47-year-old tactician voiced his displeasure over showboating yet again in their CAF Champions League win over La Cure Waves SC at the Orlando Amstel Arena a fortnight ago - sparking fresh discussions about the topic.

Ouaddou addressed the Bucs legends in favour of showboating following their 2-0 win against Marumo Gallants in the Betway Premiership over the weekend, stating that his mandate is to win trophies instead of prioritizing sentiments.

“I heard some ex-coaches from Pirates, some legends saying that coach Ouaddou cannot come here to teach us football. I don't teach football to nobody, I'm very humble. I respect the culture,” said the Pirates boss on PrimeSportsWithMahlatse.

"I respect this fantastic country, I love South Africa, I love these people. But these people who were ex coaches have to understand that I am here for a mandate, I am here to get results, I am here to take the best for my team and to win games.

"There is a difference between skills to play forward to score goals, to be efficient and entertainment - entertainment is not for me. So, I think they have to be careful because we have to work together.

"These ex-legends who think they're working with us, they have to help the coach, they have to help the team and not speak on the side like that because it doesn't help the team.

"I'm training a professional football team, I'm training a huge club in Africa, I'm training Orlando Pirates, a very big institution in the continent. So, we want to keep our range in Africa, scoring goals to be consistent.

"And I think the message is clear - the coach is not here to teach or to give a lesson to anybody. The coach is here to embrace the football in South Africa, to help some players to improve, this is my job.

The former Morocco international went on to set the record straight that Pirates' objectives is to win matches, asserting that entertainment is not of grave importance in his tenure and challenged the legends to come take over a one-week training session.

“But if some people want to see the Harlem Globetrotters - the Harlem Globetrotters are here to make entertainment, Pirates is here to win games, it's here to shine in the continent and to win cups,” Ouaddou added.

"So, the message has to be clear, I'm not here to fight people. I'm really happy to be at Pirates, I'm honoured to be the coach of one of the biggest clubs in Africa, and when we want to work together at this institution, they have to come and help the coach.

"These people who speak, when we lose one or two games they are the first ones to go to the media to say the coach must be fired. So, it's not good, they have to help us, and I'm here just to serve the football in South Africa and to win titles.

"I don't think that I'm speaking bad about South African football, I respect the culture, I respect the country. I'm very happy to be in this country, I brought all my family here, my wife is living here, my children study here.

"So, we don't have to let these people kill the ambition, kill the passion of a coach who comes here and loves the country because it's easy to speak. And they can come, I'm happy to bring them, these ex-legends can come to have one week of training.

"I'm happy to see what they are going to do, I can give them the resources, I can give them the tracksuits, come on the bench and we are going to see if it's easy for them. But they cannot speak like that.

Pirates, meanwhile, narrowed the gap to one point on log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, who have played one game more, with the two teams set to lock horns in a humdinger of the MTN8 final next month.

Hlayisani Magoro

Editorfr, en

Football journalist from South Africa covering African football news, exclusive stories and key events while sharing insights with passionate fans of the game.

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