Ouaddou warns he will quit 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 criticised his side’s attitude in the second half of their CAF Champions League first preliminary round second leg against La Cure Waves of Mauritius at Orlando Amstel Arena on Saturday.

Pirates won 3-1 to reach the second preliminary phase, but Ouaddou was unhappy with what he considered a drop in intensity and seriousness after the interval.

“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,” Ouaddou said.

“Yes, we had more control, but we didn’t manage to score. We could have easily scored maybe three or four more goals.”

Ouaddou said he had raised the same concern last season and warned his players that such an approach would not be acceptable if they wanted to compete for the Champions League title.

“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,” he said.

“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 evidence of widespread showboating, although Neo Rapoo and Simphiwe Masilela were among the players who slowed the tempo at certain points.

Ouaddou said his ambitions for Pirates were clear and insisted that individual displays could not be allowed to undermine the team.

“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,” he said.

“It serves nobody but the ego of the player who’s doing it. 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.”

He went as far as saying he would leave if the behaviour continued.

“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,” Ouaddou said.

“It is clear, not with me. I’d prefer to stop, maybe bring somebody who will take the showboating.”

League fixtures

Thursday: Pirates v Durban, Orlando (7.30pm)

Saturday: Bay v Sekhukhune, Princess Magogo Stadium (3pm); Polokwane v AmaZulu, Old Peter Mokaba (5.30pm); Kruger v Stellenbosch, Mbombela (8pm).

Sunday: Arrows v Chiefs, Mbombela (3pm); Milford v Durban, Sugar Ray (3pm); Gallants v Pirates, Royal Bafokeng (3pm); Galaxy v Chippa, Solomon Mahlangu (5.30pm).

Fifa Intercontinental Cup fixture

Saturday: Sundowns v Al Ahli (Saudi), Loftus Versfeld (3pm).