Ouaddou tipped as standout coach in South Africa after treble-winning season, says ex-Pirates boss Palacios

Former Orlando Pirates coach Augusto Palacios believes Abdeslam Ouaddou should be named Coach of the Season, arguing the Orlando Pirates manager is currently the best coach in the Premier Soccer League (PSL).

Ouaddou ended Pirates’ 14-year wait for a league title by securing the 2025/26 Betway Premiership in his debut campaign at the club and completed a historic domestic treble in the process.

Palacios says that success, combined with the team’s style of play and consistency, makes the Moroccan the obvious choice for the end-of-season honour.

“He won the league, he lost two games in the beginning, got his team consistent, and scored the most goals,” Palacios tells KickOff.

Treble success and consistency

Under Ouaddou, Pirates not only won the Betway Premiership but also lifted the Carling Knockout and the MTN8, sweeping all three major domestic trophies available to them this season.

Palacios, who has long been involved in player development, highlighted how Ouaddou managed to improve several key individuals in the squad, using them effectively throughout the campaign.

“He was able to get the best out of [Oswin] Appollis, [Relebohile] Mofokeng, [Tshepang] Moremi,” said the experienced development coach.

Palacios praised the team’s attacking output and defensive stability, stressing that Pirates were the most reliable side in the league over the course of the season.

The Peruvian coach pointed to the volume of goals Pirates scored while often keeping clean sheets as evidence that Ouaddou had built a complete side capable of dominating opponents.

“Pirates was the most consistent team in the league having scored a bag of goals in game without conceding,” he said.

Selling players but still winning

Palacios also underlined Ouaddou’s ability to maintain high performance levels despite player departures during the season.

“He was able to sell players but still continued with good performance. He is the champion of the Carling Knockout and the MTN8, so what more do you need?” questioned Palacios.

For Palacios, who has coached at various levels in South African football, the link between winning the league and being recognised as the top coach is straightforward.

He believes Ouaddou’s domestic dominance places him in line with global standards for how such awards are usually decided.

He added that normally, the coach who wins the league is the best in that league. “It’s been done like that all over the world. So, Ouaddou deserve to be called one.”

World Cup representation and next challenge

Palacios also referenced the number of Orlando Pirates players who were involved at the 2026 World Cup as another measure of the squad’s strength under Ouaddou’s guidance.

“I mean, how many of his Pirates players went to the 2026 World Cup? The biggest challenge now is for his players to forget about the awards and start focusing on next season which starts this weekend,” he adds.

With the new campaign about to kick off, Palacios warned that sustaining success will be Ouaddou’s next major test, urging the squad to move on quickly from the celebrations and personal accolades of their treble-winning season.

Message to Orlando Pirates supporters

Palacios reserved a final word for the Orlando Pirates fanbase, calling on them to maintain their backing for Ouaddou and his players as they prepare to defend their trophies.

“And to the Pirates supporters, please continue supporting the team. Continue packing the stadiums.”