Orlando Pirates boss Ouaddou says honesty is his biggest coaching disadvantage

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou says his willingness to speak honestly is the biggest disadvantage he faces as a coach, after his comments about the team’s performance against AmaZulu sparked criticism.

The Moroccan justified his direct approach after Orlando Pirates responded to last week’s draw with a convincing 3-0 victory over Chippa United. Ouaddou had described the first-half display against AmaZulu as “a disaster” and warned that some of his players needed to improve immediately.

Speaking after the win over Chippa United, he said his words had been intended to provoke a reaction from the squad rather than create tension inside the dressing room.

“I said that I wanted a reaction from my players; I had it today. I just hope that we will be consistent in the next games, and about that, it’s funny how some people want to create some politics. Sometimes between the coach and the players.”

Ouaddou had previously praised Sibisi and Chaine, noting that both had gone to the World Cup and were playing every match, before demanding more from other members of the squad.

“I have to give credit to Sibisi and Chaine; of course they went to the World Cup, and they play every game, but the other ones really need to wake up because I don’t have time. Because now it’s an emergency,” he said in part.

The Orlando Pirates manager rejected suggestions that his public comments reflected a breakdown in his relationship with the players. Instead, he compared his role to that of a father or older brother trying to draw a response from those under his guidance.

“I know my players very well. I know their psychology. They know their coach. Yes, their coach sometimes is hot, but the love is here. When a father, when a big brother is speaking, because maybe he’s waiting for a reaction, and I had it today. But now people won’t let me do my job; now everybody’s commenting, everybody wants to comment on what the coach is saying, but you don’t know what’s happening in the dressing room.”

Ouaddou then identified what he believes is the central problem with his communication style: he says he is too honest in a football environment where comments can easily be turned into controversy.

“And I think maybe my only disadvantage as a coach, maybe, is that I’m too honest. There is a lot of hypocrisy in this ecosystem of football, and maybe sometimes I’m too honest, and people use these things to try to create a polemic, to create, to put fire.”

He said his intention had been to address a psychological issue within the squad, not to manufacture conflict or undermine his players.

“I think that we don’t have to do that, you know, so just for people to understand when the coach is asking something of their players. It’s not that the coach he want to create, he wants to make problems. The coach is here to touch on one essential point of psychology sometimes, and we had it today. It’s the most important.”