Ouaddou says Maswanganyi could have made World Cup squad before Bahrain move

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou says Patrick Maswanganyi’s departure for Bahrain is a significant loss, while admitting the pair had a difficult relationship at times last season because of the midfielder’s approach in training.

Maswanganyi, 28, had become an important member of the Pirates squad before his unexpected exit brought his time at the club to an abrupt end. He will now continue his career abroad, where he faces a new challenge in a different football environment.

Ouaddou praised the attacking midfielder’s ability and achievements but explained that it took time for Maswanganyi to understand the standards he expected during the week.

“I have huge respect for this player, the titles he won, he’s a fantastic player, a gifted player, every coach would want to have him in their team,” Ouaddou said when asked by iDiski Times about his departure.

“We had difficult moments last season, it took a bit of time for him to understand what I expect of him. In training, I always said the job doesn’t start in the game, it starts in training at the start of the week.

“I was not happy with how he was training but I was happy how he came from 24th June, fantastic behaviour, fresh, in every training, full of energy every training.”

The Pirates manager said Maswanganyi’s improved application during pre-season gave a clearer indication of his potential. Ouaddou believes that if the player had shown that level of commitment earlier, he would have been in contention for South Africa’s squad at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

“You all saw his potential at the start of the season, it was very important, he was very important,” he added.

“I think if he listened to me last season, he would have been at the World Cup, definitely.”

Maswanganyi’s move to Bahrain will take him away from the South African football environment and into a league where he will need to adapt quickly, according to Ouaddou.

The French coach has experience of football in the region and warned that the attacking midfielder must be prepared for differences in supporter numbers and the expectations placed on overseas players.

“Now I just want to wish him all the best for his new project,” he said.

“He’s going abroad, it’s not easy. He will have to be mentally strong in that region. I played close to that country, even there’s not much supporters like here in South Africa.

“Some stadiums are empty. I hope he finds joy there, even when there’s no supporters. There’s huge pressure from the owners of the club – they ask a lot from the players and the foreigners, five maximum, and there’s huge pressure on these players.”

Ouaddou nevertheless said he was pleased to have worked with Maswanganyi and underlined how central the player had become to his plans at Orlando Pirates.

The coach ended his comments by wishing the midfielder well as he begins the next stage of his career, despite the frustrations they experienced together during the previous campaign.

“All the best for him,” the coach concluded. “I was very happy to work with him, especially this season, he was important for us in the middle.”