exclusive: Ouaddou ready to shoulder expectations at Pirates! | OneFootball

Exclusive Interview

The Moroccan is ready to take the pressure with the Buccaneers.

exclusive: Ouaddou ready to shoulder expectations at Pirates!

Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou says he is under no illusions with the expectations that come with managing a club of the Soweto giants’ stature, having replaced Spanish mentor Jose Riveiro in the hotseat.

The Buccaneers commenced their 2025/26 campaign with a 2-0 victory over Polokwane City in the MTN8 quarterfinals on Saturday. Former Rise and Shine winger Oswin Appollis broke the deadlock, before playmaker Patrick Maswanganyi converted from the spot to seal the win. Last season, the Mayfair club finished as runners-up in the Betway Premiership, behind rampant Mamelodi Sundowns.

Moreover, Pirates reached the semi-finals of the CAF Champions League, where they were sent packing by eventual winners Pyramids FC of Egypt. With the club hungry for league and continental glory, the Moroccan tactician is aware of the expectations at Pirates, stating that the key is to use the pressure as a foundation and catalyst to bring major honors at the club.

The Moroccan coach is very enthusiastic about taking over the responsibility

“It’s a positive pressure I must say, when you put your feet in such a big club, not only in South Africa or in the continent, of course the board doesn’t bring you here to chill. I know the expectations of the fans and the board,” said Ouaddou.

“Of course, I will try my best to try and reach the targets, and the players already know that they did a very good job in the past three years [under Riveiro].

. Ouaddou continued.

“I have been in football for 15 years and I know there is a lot of pressure but let’s say it’s positive pressure because I have been dealing with this pressure. When you play at Old Trafford [against Manchester United], when you play in Egypt against Morocco – it’s 125 00 people watching".

Ouaddou concluded.

"Every weekend is pressure, so we try to deal with it, so we grow with this pressure, but we try to transform it into positive pressure. When I woke up in the morning [on Saturday] my first thought was that we have to win [vs Polokwane City], “I didn’t want to disappoint the fans of Orlando Pirates, there is a big expectation and yes, we want to give the best, we want to be the best for them and the club. Every morning when we go to training me and my staff want to design the best training for my players. We demand excellence, when you come to such a big club, you have to bring excellence. Ouaddou concluded.