Ouaddou says Orlando Pirates selection is about winning, not ‘giving flowers’

Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou says he will continue to pick the players he believes give the club the best chance of winning, rather than selecting teams to keep individuals happy and putting his own position at risk.

Ouaddou was speaking after Pirates edged Durban City 2-1 after extra time in the MTN8 quarterfinal at Orlando Amstel Arena on Saturday, a result that sent the Buccaneers into the semi-finals.

The coach said he was determined not to repeat the errors of last season, when Pirates lost their opening two matches. His team eventually overcame a stubborn Durban City side, despite failing to make the most of a number of chances during the match.

Patrick Maswanganyi put Pirates in front before Jean Lubumba equalised for Durban City. New signing Gamphani Lungu then settled the contest with a late goal in injury time, securing the Buccaneers’ place in the last four.

Ouaddou said his starting line-up had been based on performances in training and during the team’s preparations, rather than reputation or sentiment.

“I’m not here to give flowers to people. We are not in the circus. We are in a professional ecosystem,” he told the media after the match.

“There are a lot of expectations. If you want me to remind you of my two first games last season, you feel that I was happy to have eight bodyguards around me?

“I want to win. Of course I’m going to play the strongest team because the fans want to win this competition, the club wants to win it as well, and I want to win it as well, and it won’t be easy.

“So I need to put a strong team and the players who deserve to play because they show in training, they show in the preparation.

“There is nothing guaranteed, and it’s how we push the players to have competition.

“But I’m not here to give flowers, because when you lose two or three games, who is in the headlines?

The result keeps Pirates’ MTN8 campaign alive, but their performance also highlighted their need to improve in front of goal. The Buccaneers created numerous opportunities against Durban City but were unable to convert most of them.

Norwegian striker Sebastian Pedersen, who recently joined the club, was at the venue watching his new team. Ouaddou hopes the forward can help address Pirates’ lack of efficiency in attack, although he stressed that Pedersen will have to compete with the club’s existing forwards for a place.

“It is all the time the good news for the coach to have a new player, and he is part of our strikers that we have already, and it is very good news for everyone who is impatient to see him,” he said.

“He will be part of the competition among all the strikers that we have.”

Pirates will now turn their attention to the league, with their next match taking place away against AmaZulu at Kings Park Stadium on Wednesday.