‘Let Me Cook!’: Ouaddou Hits Back At Critics
Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has urged his critics to give him time to implement his football philosophy after guiding the Buccaneers to an important Soweto Derby victory on Saturday.
Pirates extended their unbeaten run in the Betway Premiership with a 2-1 victory over arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs at FNB Stadium, moving to the top of the league standings with 25 points.
However, the Buccaneers could surrender top spot and drop to second place should Mamelodi Sundowns defeat Durban City on Saturday night.
Yanela Mbuthuma opened the scoring for Pirates in the first half before Tshepang Moremi struck the winning goal after the break to secure all three points for the Buccaneers.
Following the victory, Ouaddou used his post-match interview with SuperSport TV to explain the identity he is working to establish at Pirates, emphasising the importance of efficiency, ruthlessness and building a complete team.
“Look, in modern football, you have to be efficient and ruthless. You need to be a complete team,” he said.
“That is the identity I have been trying to give Pirates since I arrived: a team that can play football. Sometimes we play good football, sometimes we don’t. But one thing you cannot question is our fighting spirit, solidity and ability to score goals.
“Again, we have to remain humble. Sometimes, when you have played football at a high level, there are things you can feel and see. These are things you don’t read about in books; you understand them through experience. Sometimes people judge, but please let me do my work. Let me cook.”
The Moroccan tactician also reflected on his decision to deploy Deon Hotto at right-back, revealing that the tactical adjustment was an attempt to find a solution but ultimately failed to produce the desired results.
Hotto’s deployment in an unfamiliar position was one of the major talking points of the derby, with Ouaddou acknowledging that the experiment had not worked as planned despite Pirates securing the victory.
“Both goals came from that side, on the right side. When I spoke about the surprise, it was having Hotto at right-back,” he added.
“But I cannot say that it was successful. We tried something because he has experience playing at left-back, and we thought he could perhaps do the same job on the right.
“We were looking for a solution, but I don’t think it worked. That’s why we made a change afterwards.”
With their derby victory behind them, Pirates will now shift their attention to the Carling Knockout Cup quarter-finals, where they are scheduled to face Sekhukhune United.
The Buccaneers will be eager to carry their winning momentum into the encounter as they look to maintain their impressive form across all competitions.
