Mental strength key to improving Orlando Pirates young squad – Abdeslam Ouaddou

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou believes managing pressure will be crucial to his team’s progress this season, with the coach identifying mental strength as an area that requires particular attention.

The Buccaneers are the second-youngest team in South Africa’s Betway Premiership, behind AmaZulu, and have also had to integrate 10 new players following the latest transfer window.

While the new arrivals have strengthened the squad, Ouaddou says adapting to the expectations of a club of Pirates’ stature presents a different challenge, particularly for younger players who must learn to cope with pressure in high-profile matches.

“I have one of the youngest teams in the PSL and you see we have 10 new players, it’s not easy to integrate at such a big club like Pirates,” Ouaddou said.

“You can be a good player at other clubs, but when you come here, the factor you have to manage is emotions. There is a lot of pressure, so I think I have good players. Of course, there is all the time a margin of progression, but where my staff and I really need to help them is mentally.

“How can I manage the pressure, these kind of games?”

The Moroccan coach believes the difference between his team’s first-half and second-half performances illustrates how anxiety can affect players’ decision-making, even when their technical ability is not in question.

“If you see the first half, it’s the same players that you have seen in the second half, but in the first half, a lot of precipitation, the weight of passing the ball, wrong choices, not because they are bad players, because they have pressure,” he explained.

Ouaddou, a former Marseille defender who also coached in France, highlighted the psychological demands of representing a major club, drawing a comparison between Pirates and Marseille and smaller teams such as Lorient and Guingamp.

“If you play Pirates or Marseille, it’s not the same as playing for Lorient or Guingamp, it’s not the same,” he added.

The coach acknowledged that addressing the issue could require specialist support beyond the work of his technical staff.

“So, it’s the area that I hope I can help them as a coach, but maybe we will need even a professional, even a psychologist to go a little deeper. I’m not a psychologist…”

Pirates will now turn their attention to the Carling Knockout after securing qualification for the CAF Champions League group stage.

The Buccaneers are scheduled to host Kruger United at the Orlando Amstel Arena on Tuesday evening as they seek to maintain their momentum across domestic competitions.