Ouaddou Explains Sibisi And Mbuthuma Omissions In Pirates Win

Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou explained his decision to leave captain Nkosinathi Sibisi and Yanela Mbuthuma out of the squad for Tuesday night’s match against Sekhukhune United.

The Buccaneers continued their strong start to the Betway Premiership campaign with a 2-0 victory over Sekhukhune, but there were notable changes to the team as Ouaddou opted to rotate his squad.

Sibisi and Mbuthuma had started all of Pirates’ matches this season, with the latter consistently given opportunities despite struggling to find the back of the net. However, neither player was included in the matchday squad against Sekhukhune as Ouaddou managed his players’ workload during a demanding period.

Speaking after the match, the Moroccan coach explained that the decision was part of his plan to protect his players from injuries while also giving others an opportunity to prove themselves.

“Yeah, I think, you know, when we are playing three games in a row like that, I already spoke about this case,” he said.

“We have international players. We have to be careful about the load. It’s our job to anticipate possible injuries.

“So, of course, we rested Sibisi, and Mbuthuma, I think, had a lot of game time. It was also the moment to give him some rest and to see the other strikers.

“It’s very important. It was the right moment to make the rotation. If I don’t do it at that moment, I don’t know when I will be able to do it.

“But, like I said, it was an opportunity for some players to show what they can do, and we gave everybody a chance.”

The changes worked particularly well, with Sbangani Zulu stepping into Sibisi’s role and delivering a strong performance at the heart of the defence.

In attack, Boitumelo Radiopane was handed the opportunity to start in Mbuthuma’s position, and he made the most of it. The 22-year-old opened the scoring in the first half before playing a key role in the second goal, providing the assist for Oswin Appollis to seal the victory.

While Radiopane’s performance provided another positive for Ouaddou, the Pirates coach also highlighted the progress of Thapelo Mokobodi, who has been starting since the match against Chippa United.

Ouaddou knows Mokobodi well from his time at Marumo Gallants, where he previously coached the midfielder before the player moved to Stellenbosch last season.

The coach believes Mokobodi’s previous work under Gavin Hunt also helped prepare him for the demands of playing for Pirates.

“Look, first of all, he’s a boy that I know very well,” he added.

“I know his quality from my previous club. I know what he can give us and what he’s able to do.

“Physically, I think he started the pre-season at Stellenbosch with Gavin Hunt, and when you know Gavin Hunt, the way that he plays and the way that he wants his team to play, you can guess that he had the first part of the preparation very well.

“So, he just came with us to finish the last phase of the preparation, and his style of play suits very well to the way that we want to play. He’s clever.

“He’s somebody who integrates quickly, and he’s a boy who took his chance. You know, I always say that when the train stops at the station, you need to climb on that train, especially when it’s a high-speed train.

“So, you need to be inside because sometimes the train doesn’t stop too long at every station. He is on the train, and I hope he will continue to grow and improve and become one of the key players in our system.”

Pirates will now turn their attention to another meeting with Sekhukhune, with the two sides set to face each other again at Orlando Amstel Arena on Saturday in the second leg of the MTN8 semi-final.

Sibisi and Mbuthuma will be hoping to return to the matchday squad for that encounter, while Mokobodi will be looking to build on his recent opportunities and continue impressing the Pirates technical team.