Ouaddou explains Maswanganyi tensions after Orlando Pirates exit

Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has revealed that his strained relationship with Patrick ‘Tito’ Maswanganyi last season was partly caused by the midfielder’s approach to training.

Maswanganyi has since joined Bahrain club Al-Khaldiya, a move expected to significantly improve his earnings. The transfer ends his time at Orlando Pirates after a campaign in which he made 38 appearances under Ouaddou, although he completed the full match in only six of those games.

The pair experienced several tense moments during the previous season, with Ouaddou making it clear that Maswanganyi initially took time to adapt to the standards he expected both in matches and on the training ground.

“I have huge respect for this player for what he gave the club, the titles that he won,” notes Ouaddou.

“I think he is a fantastic player, a gifted player, that every coach wants to have in his team.

“I think we had a difficult moment last season because he (takes) a little bit of time to understand what I was expecting from him about his involvement in the game, involvement in training.

“I always said that the job doesn’t start during the game.

“Training is very important and starts at the beginning of the week and I was not happy about the way that he was training and I’m happy that he came with a fantastic behaviour on the 24th of June (start of pre-season) and fresh in every training.

“I think you have seen his potential at the beginning of this season.”

Ouaddou believes Maswanganyi’s form could have earned him international recognition earlier had he responded to the coach’s demands sooner.

“If he had listened to me last season he would have gone to the World Cup, definitely.”

The Orlando Pirates manager nevertheless wished the 27-year-old well as he begins his career outside South Africa, while warning him that the move would bring its own challenges.

“Now, I want to wish him all the best for his new project, he is going abroad, it is not easy.

“He will have to be strong mentally especially in that area (Bahrain) because I played (Qatar) close to that country.

“There are no supporters like us here in South Africa, the stadiums are empty but even if there are no supporters there is huge pressure from the club owners who ask a lot from the players especially professional players.”

Maswanganyi’s departure follows a period in which he remained an important member of the Pirates squad despite the disagreements with Ouaddou. The coach said the midfielder’s qualities were never in doubt and that he had been pleased with the player’s response at the beginning of the new season.

“I hope he will find joy there because he is someone that I was happy to work with especially this season, he was somebody important for us in the middle,” says Ouaddou.