Ouaddou demands Pirates prove treble was no one-off

Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has challenged his players to show that last season’s historic treble was the beginning of a sustained period of success rather than an isolated achievement.

The Buccaneers won the Betway Premiership, MTN8 and Carling Knockout Cup during Ouaddou’s first season in charge, setting a demanding benchmark for the campaign ahead.

Pirates have made a positive start to their defence of the league title, beating Milford FC before reaching the MTN8 semi-finals with victory over Durban City. However, Ouaddou says the team must continue to improve if it is to maintain the standards that delivered three trophies last season.

The squad is still adapting to the arrival of new players, while the Moroccan coach has also called for greater efficiency from his forwards when chances are created.

Pirates have attempted to build attacks patiently from the back rather than relying on direct football, and Ouaddou believes reaching the opponent’s penalty area is evidence that those patterns of play are working.

“No, look, if you manage to reach the area of truth, the area of truth, it’s the two boxes. It’s not easy and the way that we are playing, we are not just throwing the ball with direct goals, we’re trying to build from the back with sometimes opposition,” Ouaddou told the media.

“So when you reach there, it means that you are successful in the build-up, in the progression and when you get in the final third and you create this kind of chances, I think it’s very good.

“Now, like I said, you can work, you can work many hours, but after the killer instinct to feel the goals, to feel where the ball is going to land. This thing, sometimes you don’t buy them in the supermarket. You have it or you don’t have it.

“So actually, we are not giving up. We are going to keep working and I hope, to be honest, that our strikers that we have will continue to work, will continue to believe and to help us to reach this target.”

Ouaddou accepts that the success of the previous campaign has increased the expectations surrounding Pirates. He wants his side to demonstrate that it can compete consistently at the highest level, rather than simply enjoy a single outstanding season.

“Because we don’t have to forget that this season is very important for us,” he added.

“It’s very, very important, we must confirm what we did last season.

“But more than that, there is another competition that we failed last season and for me, it’s a really big, big target. So I need my strikers to wake up quickly to help the team.”

The coach did not identify the competition he was referring to, but made clear that it represents a major objective for Pirates this season. His immediate focus, however, is on Wednesday’s league meeting with AmaZulu in Durban.

The match will provide another test of whether Pirates can handle the pressure that comes with being defending champions while incorporating new members into the squad.

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