“No Right Or Wrong Moment” – Ouaddou Explains Throwing Selepe Straight Into Pirates’ Title Crucible
Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has explained his decision to hand youngster Simphiwe Selepe his first Betway Premiership appearance of the season during a crucial stage of the title race.
The Buccaneers were held to a disappointing 0-0 draw by Durban City at Orlando Stadium on Saturday, a result that dealt a major blow to their league title ambitions and denied them the chance to secure the championship.
Selepe, 21, was making his first league appearance of the current campaign after featuring for Pirates last season, when he scored against AmaZulu in the club’s final game of the season.
Before his 70-minute outing against Durban City, the midfielder had only recently returned to competitive action after helping Pirates’ DStv Diski Challenge side clinch the league title with a victory over Mamelodi Sundowns last weekend.
His performances at youth level seemingly convinced Ouaddou to include him in the senior team during one of the club’s most important matches of the season.
“I think there is no right or wrong moment to introduce a player,” said Ouaddou.
“There are many factors a coach has to consider, and one of them is the player’s condition and performances in training. Selepe is a player who featured last season and performed well.
“On Saturday, I felt it was the right moment to bring him in because he showed us great things in training. He offered the kind of profile we needed to find spaces between the lines, and he did well. He was able to play forward and create combinations in tight areas.
“He was also aggressive without the ball and strong in aerial situations. So, I think it is very positive for Pirates to have young players like him. We have introduced them gradually because we already have a strong midfield group.”
Ouaddou also reflected on the broader challenges facing his youthful squad after they missed an opportunity to move closer to their first league title since the 2011/12 season.
“I think we have the third-youngest team in the PSL, and while there are advantages to having a young squad — such as freshness and energy — there are also disadvantages when it comes to handling pressure in certain matches,” he added.
“What we tried to do during the week was to bring calmness to the group and remind the players to focus on how we wanted to defend and attack.
“In the era of social media, you cannot avoid outside noise. Many people were already celebrating before the game, but it was my responsibility to remind the players that we still had 90 minutes to play and that the opponent was not coming here to relax. That is exactly what happened against Durban City.
“We need to stay calm and focus on our style of play. I do not need to question the players’ effort because they gave everything on Saturday. Now we have to focus on the next match because that is football.”
Pirates will now turn their attention to their final league fixture against Orbit College FC at Mbombela Stadium on Saturday, where victory could see them lift the league title for the first time in more than a decade.
