Ouaddou says Riveiro’s winning culture still drives Orlando Pirates

Orlando Pirates’ success in cup competitions is built on a winning mentality established under former head coach Jose Riveiro and carried forward by his successor Abdeslam Ouaddou, according to the current coach.

The Buccaneers have become consistent winners when silverware is at stake, with that reputation strengthened during Riveiro’s time in charge and maintained since Ouaddou took over.

Pirates have won eight trophies in the past five seasons. Their haul includes four successive MTN8 titles, two Nedbank Cups, the Carling Knockout and the Betway Premiership.

Ouaddou, who arrived following Riveiro’s departure, said the foundations of that success were already firmly established when he joined the club. Rather than replacing the existing approach, the Moroccan coach said he set out to uphold the standards he inherited.

“I found a mentality of winners when I first arrived. I found the mentality of a club that wants to win everything and I tried to stay with that standard,” he said at the Carling Knockout Cup press conference on Thursday.

That attitude has been especially clear in cup football, where Orlando Pirates have repeatedly produced strong performances with trophies at stake. The club are now preparing for another challenge, with a quarter-final against Sekhukhune United in the Carling Knockout Cup.

Ouaddou said Pirates’ commitment to the competition demonstrated its importance to the club. He insisted no tournament was regarded as less significant, with the players’ performances reflecting their determination to compete for every available honour.

“This is a very important cup for us. You can see in the way that we play in the competition. You can see the way our players play in this cup. It’s not a competition we underestimate,” he said.

The coach’s comments highlight the continuity between the Riveiro and Ouaddou eras. Although the two managers have their own methods, the expectation that Orlando Pirates should compete for trophies remains central to the club’s identity.

That expectation creates pressure at a club whose supporters demand success, but Ouaddou believes the desire to win has not weakened despite the substantial silverware already claimed.

“I found hunger at this club and we’re still starving,” he added.

For Ouaddou, the challenge is to ensure that winning does not lead to complacency. The trophies collected in recent seasons have not reduced the ambition within the squad, and he wants the pursuit of further success to remain a defining feature of the team.

Orlando Pirates continue to compete across domestic competitions, making their ability to approach every cup campaign with the same intensity important to extending the run of success that began under Riveiro.

The message from Ouaddou is clear: the club may have continued to collect trophies, but its appetite for more must remain unchanged.