Ouaddou warns he will leave Orlando Pirates over players’ ‘showboating’

Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has threatened to leave the club if his players continue to prioritise showboating over scoring goals.

Ouaddou was unhappy with the team’s second-half performance in Saturday’s CAF Champions League first preliminary round second leg against La Cure Waves of Mauritius at Orlando Amstel Arena.

Pirates won 3-1 to progress to the second preliminary phase, but Ouaddou said his players had lost focus and failed to maintain the intensity he expected.

“I wasn’t really happy about the second half. We dropped in terms of the rhythm. It wasn’t the rhythm I was expecting in the second half. Yes, we had more control, but we didn’t manage to score. We could have easily scored maybe three of four more goals,” Ouaddou said.

“I repeat it, I repeated it last season, and I will repeat it again. The rhythm dropped when we started not to be serious and started showboating.

“We have to understand that if we want to win the Champions League, if we want to be ambitious, to go far, we really need to understand that football is about going forward and scoring goals.”

There was little obvious showboating during the match, although players including Neo Rapoo and Simphiwe Masilela did slow the tempo at certain points.

Ouaddou, however, insisted that such behaviour had to stop if Pirates were serious about challenging for the Champions League.

“To win the Champions League, we have the ambition to win the Champions League; we don’t have to hide it. We must stop these things [showboating] because it doesn’t help the team. It serves nobody but the ego of the player who’s doing it,” he said.

“It doesn’t help our team. As a coach I want goals, goals, goals, and that’s it. I can’t be satisfied to win 3-1. If my players are satisfied with three goals, I think we are lacking ambition and we can’t go far. The moment I accept this showboating, I’ll pack my luggage and stop training.

“If they want to continue to do this, please [do it] without me. I won’t be the coach. It is clear, not with me. I’d prefer to stop, maybe bring somebody who will take the showboating.”

Upcoming fixtures

Pirates will face Durban at Orlando on Thursday at 7.30pm.

Saturday’s fixtures are Bay against Sekhukhune at Princess Magogo Stadium at 3pm, Polokwane against AmaZulu at Old Peter Mokaba at 5.30pm, and Kruger against Stellenbosch at Mbombela at 8pm.

On Sunday, Arrows play Chiefs at Mbombela at 3pm, Milford meet Durban at Sugar Ray at 3pm, Gallants host Pirates at Royal Bafokeng at 3pm, and Galaxy face Chippa at Solomon Mahlangu at 5.30pm.

Fifa Intercontinental Cup

Sundowns will play Al Ahli (Saudi) at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday at 3pm in the Fifa Intercontinental Cup.