Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates to have new coaches by next Soweto Derby
On borrowed time? With uncertainty over Nasreddine Nabi and Abdeslam Ouaddou, IOL Sport speculates that both Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates will be under new coaches before the next Soweto derby in February. Photo: BackpagePix
Image: BackpagePix
One of the first things many football fans in South Africa do when the fixtures for the new season come out is look when the first Soweto derby will be played.
The Soweto derby is the biggest game on the South African calendar, regardless of how Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs are playing. If the two clubs don’t meet in the Carling Knockout, their first encounter will unfortunately be played in February of next year — February 28, to be exact.
Judging by the events of recent weeks, both clubs could go into the game with new head coaches.
Pirates have had a nightmare start to the new campaign. They opened with an MTN8 win over Polokwane City, but things have worsened since.
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They lost 1-0 in their league opener against Sekhukhune United, and were beaten 2-1 by Marumo Gallants on Tuesday. Both results have put a massive amount of pressure on Abdeslam Ouaddou, and fans and pundits have already begun to question if he’s the right man to lead the club.
When Jose Riveiro left at the end of last season, they were in a good place, and were hoping to put together the final pieces that would help them challenge Mamelodi Sundowns for the league title.
Pirates have lacked identity in recent games, and Ouaddou‘s team selections have also come under scrutiny. Tshegofatso Mabasa, the club’s top goal scorer over the last two seasons, has not been called upon, while the immensely talented Thalente Mbatha has also been excluded from matchday squads.
In their game against Gallants, Ouaddou did something that baffled many fans — he started the game with Relebohile Mofokeng on the bench, robbing the team of one of their most potent attackers.
Many fans have since voiced their dissatisfaction, and it’s only a matter of time before they start calling for him to be shown the door.
While Soweto’s other club have had a better start to the season, speculation about Nabi’s future refuses to go away. Chiefs kicked off their campaign in impressive fashion last weekend when they beat Stellenbosch FC in Athlone.
But it was assistant coach Khalil Ben Youssef who was on the touchline. On top of that, several reports claim the relationship between Nabi and the club soured after a meeting before the campaign kicked off. It remains to be seen what happens when Nabi returns to South Africa after spending time in Tunisia attending to an urgent family matter.
The derby has always been more than just a match – it’s a statement of pride and identity and who really rules Soweto.
But with both Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs caught in the storm of coaching uncertainty, February’s clash could be shaped as much by boardroom decisions as by performances on the pitch. If either side hopes to emerge from that day with more than just bragging rights, the hard decisions will need to be made long before the first whistle blows.
IOL Sport
* The views expressed are not necessarily the views of IOL or Independent Media.
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