Ouaddou’s record-breaking reign puts Orlando Pirates back on top

Abdeslam Ouaddou’s outstanding record at Orlando Pirates has been strengthened further after he guided the club to the top of the table at the start of his second season in charge.

The Moroccan-Frenchman began the opening 10th of his second campaign with the Soweto giants leading the standings, underlining the impact he has made since taking over.

Ouaddou’s first season at the club, last term, produced the league title and delivered Orlando Pirates’ finest campaign across all competitions.

The championship ended a 14-year wait for the league crown and was secured with a club-record 69 points. That surpassed the previous best totals of 64 points, achieved in the 1996/97 and 1999/2000 seasons.

Pirates averaged 2.3 points per match during the 30-game league campaign, winning 21 fixtures – also a club record for a single season.

Their attacking output was equally impressive. The 58 goals scored in the league were the most by the Soweto giants over a 30-match season, beating the previous mark of 52 set in 2004/05.

Defensively, Pirates conceded only 12 goals, improving on the 16 they allowed during their title-winning 2002/03 campaign.

The club’s goal difference of plus 46 was another standout achievement. Ouaddou’s side also added two more trophies to the league title by winning the MTN8 and Carling Knockout.

As the new season has begun, Ouaddou has once again taken Pirates to the summit, further reinforcing his record as the coach to have produced the club’s strongest league results during his tenure.

He has won 23 of the 33 matches in which he has been in charge, giving him a 70% win rate.

Ouaddou has suffered only three defeats. Two of those losses came in his first two league matches as Pirates manager.

His average of 2.3 points per match is the best recorded by any Orlando Pirates coach since Viktor Bondarenko, Augusto Palacios and Ronald Mkandawire each had the opportunity to manage the club during the 1996/97 season.

That record has been achieved despite the criticism regularly directed at Ouaddou during his time at Bucs.

Reflecting on the scrutiny surrounding his methods and comments, Ouaddou said his honesty could sometimes work against him.

“Maybe my only disadvantage as a coach is that I’m too honest, and there is a lot of hypocrisy in this ecosystem of football, and maybe sometimes I’m too honest.

“And people are using these things to put fire.

“I think we don’t have to do that for people to understand when the coach is asking something for the players.

“It is not that the coach wants to create problems.

“The coach is here to touch one essential point of psychology, and we had it today (Sunday’s 3-0 victory over Chippa United),” says Ouaddou.