Ouaddou takes patient approach as Orlando Pirates begin title defence

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou says he has learned from last season’s difficult start and will give his new signings more time to settle before placing them in his starting XI.

The Buccaneers have added nine players to their squad during the off-season as they prepare for a demanding campaign involving domestic competitions and the CAF Champions League.

Four of those arrivals made their official Orlando Pirates debuts in Saturday’s victory over newly promoted Milford FC. All four were introduced after half-time, helping the home side secure maximum points on the opening day of the Betway Premiership season.

Ouaddou’s measured approach represents a change from his early methods last season, when he moved quickly to include new players in his starting line-up after succeeding Jose Riveiro.

That decision was followed by a difficult opening to his tenure. Orlando Pirates lost their first two league matches, immediately increasing the pressure on the newly appointed head coach.

This time, the Moroccan coach has chosen to maintain greater stability in his team while allowing the new arrivals to adjust to the expectations and demands of the club.

“The new players, you know, even for me, I take lessons; it’s never late to learn,” Ouaddou said.

“Last season, you can say that I wanted to be in a rush to put new players in the starting XI, and this season I started with more stability in the XI.”

The coach said the newcomers would be introduced gradually, with the aim of ensuring they can make a greater contribution as the season develops.

“The new players, we will bring them in after – so I think they bring something, you have seen that in the second half, they bring more energy, more control in the game,” he added.

“I think it’s good news for us, for Orlando Pirates, to know these players can help us. But I’m sure in the season, we will see them more and more.”

The victory over Milford FC gave Orlando Pirates an ideal beginning to their defence of the Betway Premiership title. However, the scale of the club’s schedule means the difficulty of the challenges ahead will increase quickly.

The Buccaneers’ next assignment comes in the MTN8, where they will start their title defence against Durban City on 8 August at the Orlando Amstel Arena.

Orlando Pirates have won the competition in each of the past four seasons. They will now attempt to extend that run while also competing for success in the Betway Premiership, CAF Champions League and other domestic cup competitions.

The club’s decision to strengthen its squad with nine new players reflects the demands of that multi-competition programme. Ouaddou’s handling of the arrivals will therefore be central to maintaining the team’s consistency across the campaign.

Rather than immediately changing his starting XI, the head coach has indicated that he will use match situations to introduce the new signings and build their involvement over time. Their second-half impact against Milford FC, according to Ouaddou, showed the energy and control they can provide.

For now, the coach believes a slower integration process will give Orlando Pirates a more stable platform than the one they had at the beginning of last season.