Abdeslam Ouaddou's dealing with Orlando Pirates' bloated squad ahead of season opener

Abdeslam Ouaddou is a happy coach, which is why he believes he has a solid foundation on which to build a competitive and entertaining team this season.

Ouaddou was appointed head coach of Orlando Pirates in late June, replacing José Riveiro, who enjoyed an impressive three-year spell at the club.

He has made an encouraging start to life at Pirates, guiding his team to the MTN8 semi-finals, where they will face Mamelodi Sundowns, after defeating Polokwane City in the quarter-finals.

Pirates’ progression to the last four of the Wafa Wafa Cup means Ouaddou is following in the footsteps of Riveiro, who had won the last three editions of the competition.

And while that may have pleased the team, players, and board alike, Ouaddou is widely expected to build on his predecessor’s foundation and reach new heights.

He must now find a way to finally dethrone Sundowns — the league champions for the past eight seasons — and end Pirates’ 14-year title drought.

The board has also ensured that the 46-year-old coach is well supported, strengthening the squad with 11 new signings so far.

New recruits such as Oswin Appollis, Sihle Nduli, and Sipho Mbule, who also travelled with the team on their pre-season tour to Marbella, Spain, impressed during their outing against Cape Town City.

That performance pleased Ouaddou, who expects his team to be well-balanced throughout the season — particularly in the Betway Premiership, which kicks off this weekend.

“We had the time to see all the players during the pre-season camp, but I’ve already said that we have a base at the club,” Ouaddou said.

“There’s a legacy here because many players have been at the club for a while. Of course, the new signings must bring additional qualities.

“So, it’s up to me to find the right balance within the team. Sometimes, that’s not easy, because getting everyone to quickly understand the game model takes time.

“But I have to say that I’m quite happy and have some intelligent players who understand football. They get what I expect from them. Not everything is perfect, obviously, but I’m happy.”

Ouaddou was speaking at their base at Rand Stadium on Thursday afternoon, where Pirates were finalising their preparations for the start of the league season.

As the team went through their drills ahead of their opener against Sekhukhune United in Orlando on Saturday night, there was a notably large number of players in the squad.

Ouaddou admitted that such a big group is not ideal, as it can make it harder for the technical team to maintain focus on both regulars and fringe players.

“At my previous club, I usually worked with 25 to 28 players — it helps in terms of management,” Ouaddou said.

“It ensures everyone is involved and aligned with the club’s goals. The challenge comes when you have 40 players, which thankfully isn’t the case for us at the moment.

“But working with 40 players is tough — you can’t be efficient or direct in your work. You need to make a lot of rotations in training and keep everyone happy.

“Instead of focusing on the main team, your attention shifts to managing those rotations. It’s a challenge!”

Despite this, Ouaddou said he will do his best to give every squad member equal attention—because that comes with the territory.

“Before being a professional coach, I’m a human being — and if I have 35 players, I can’t just push 10 aside, whether for personal or professional reasons,” he explained.

“I have to include them all and plan my sessions accordingly. It’s not up to me — if I have many players, I have to train them. That’s what I’m paid to do.”