Abdeslam Ouaddou Breaks Silence on His Orlando Pirates Move: “Pirates Are in the Future”
Orlando Pirates’ newly-appointed head coach, Abdeslam Ouaddou, has opened up about his surprise move to the Soweto giants, expressing deep admiration for the club’s vision and management approach. Speaking in his first interview with SuperSport TV presenter Fiso Mazibuko, which was aired on Pirates TV, Ouaddou lifted the lid on how the Buccaneers’ leadership carefully scouted him before making their final decision.
The former Moroccan international, who has played in top European leagues including England and France, shared his astonishment at the professionalism and futuristic outlook of the Pirates hierarchy.
“If I tell you the way I was scouted by Pirates, I was very surprised. I was very surprised. People don’t know it, but I can tell you that Orlando Pirates is in the future,” said Ouaddou during his appearance on Pirates TV on YouTube.
He further highlighted the club’s progressive approach, comparing it favorably to the standards he experienced abroad.
“They are very advanced. They are very advanced about how they are seeing football and how they are managing the club. I can say the fans of Pirates are lucky to have such people looking after that club, because even in Europe, I played in England and France I’m not sure if I’ve seen the way that these people are managing the club,” he explained.
Ouaddou also shed light on the extensive process that led to his appointment, emphasizing that the Pirates board left no stone unturned in selecting their new coach.
“I can tell you that the board has seen me four or five times before they took a decision. They don’t just take somebody like that. There are a lot of criteria, and when you pass the first criteria, they have another one, and when you finish the second one, they have a third one. When you finish the third one, there’s a fourth one… the board knows what they want,” said the former defender.
Known for his modern coaching philosophy, Ouaddou made it clear that he values the right competencies over mere experience; a principle he believes will be key to building success at Pirates.
“I believe in competencies versus experience,” Ouaddou concluded.
With the new season fast approaching, Pirates fans will be eager to see how Ouaddou’s fresh perspective and meticulous approach translate onto the field. His appointment signals the Buccaneers’ ambition to return to the summit of South African football and reclaim their dominance both locally and on the continent.