Abdeslam Ouaddou reiterates stance on forgotten Pirates star

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has reiterated his stance on forgotten striker Sfiso Luthuli, who has been the subject of several loan spells since gaining promotion to the first-team.

The Bucs youth product impressed in the Carling Black Label Cup in December 2025, coming off the bench to score as the Sea Robbers beat the Carling All-Stars 2-0 in the exhibition match.

However, the player was subsequently sent out on loan to Magesi FC in the January transfer window, and chipped in with a solitary goal and three assists in 11 Betway Premiership outings.

With competition rife in the no.9 role at Pirates, Ouaddou has maintained his backing of Luthuli, tipping the 26-year-old centre-forward to stake his claim in the star-studded squad.

“What I have seen from him in training, he's full of qualities of a modern striker, he's tall, he's able to play as a wall player, he's able to ask for the ball in deep [areas], he's able to play in combinations, he's able to score with the left foot and right foot, he's able to score with the head,” said the Pirates boss.

"I think you were not suprised last year in January when I said I don't need a striker because I already have the material at Pirates. So, this season he came back and I think the technical staff trusts him.

While the 47-year-old tactician is banking on Luthuli this season, he concedes the player is injury prone and needs conditioning on his physical fitness, with Pirates set to compete on all fronts.

“Now I just hope that the injuries will stop because he has all the time some small injuries and we have to work on that to strengthen the legs, to strengthen the upper body," Ouaddou added.

"But definitely he has good qualities to help Pirates. And I hope to see him soon, but he's a really good profile.

Pirates, meanwhile, swing back to action with the return leg of their MTN8 semi-final clash against Sekhukhune United at the Orlando Amstel Arena on Saturday, 29 August.

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.

Related teams and leagues

Orlando Pirates