Orlando Pirates legend Tebogo Moloi backs Abdeslam Ouaddou’s stand against showboating

Orlando Pirates legend Tebogo Moloi has supported coach Abdeslam Ouaddou’s criticism of players who overcomplicate matters with the ball.

Ouaddou renewed his opposition to excessive showboating after Pirates’ league victory over Marumo Gallants in Rustenburg last weekend. The coach said he was not at the club to teach the “Harlem Globetrotters” and made clear that he wanted his players to focus on effective football rather than unnecessary tricks.

The issue was brought into focus when Pirates youngster Mpho Padime performed a series of skills during the closing stages of the win. Ouaddou was unimpressed by the display, and Moloi said he shared the manager’s view that such actions had no place in the circumstances.

Moloi questioned why players felt the need to stand on top of the ball, while acknowledging that there could be appropriate moments for such moves.

“There is a place and time to do that [stand on top of the ball]; it is definitely not at this level. I still want to sit with them [players] and say, ‘Why must you stand on top of the ball?’

“Do what you want to do, but do it correctly; let it have the end product,” said Moloi.

Moloi’s remarks were made on the Arena Sports Show, where the debate over showboating returned to the spotlight following Ouaddou’s comments.