Ouaddou Sheds Light On Squad Rotation Amid Fixture Congestion

Orlando Pirates head coach, Abdeslam Ouaddou, has opened up on how setting objectives is helping his side make the most of their games in hand as they look to compete on all fronts.

Ouadouu’s side have played eight games in the Betway Premiership this season, due to their continental endeavors, which is two games short of the total number they should’ve played thus far.

Despite a congested fixture schedule, Pirates are expected to be competitive on all fronts this season, as they’ve already proved to be, with their MTN8 win less than two months ago [13 September 2025].

“When you start a season with the club, with a new club, and with the new players. For coaches, it’s always important to give sense to your work and to the training, and to the games. It’s very important to fix objectives to the players, and it’s what we do with them, and in life as well,” said Ouaddou.

This methodological approach to capitalizing on their games in hand has been fruitful thus far, as the Moroccans’ side finds itself in third place on the log standings following a 1-0 win over Polokwane City on Wednesday night. 

“When you wake up in the morning, you need to give sense to your life, what you are doing. So, it’s very important in what we are doing to fix objectives. It’s why every day we remind the guys in training before the games, we remember the objective that we set for them. It’s how we keep everybody aware about that,” said Ouaddou.

Those objectives, coupled with fixture congestion, have led to an added need for squad rotation, which was evident in his side’s win over Polokwane, where the likes of Yanela Mbuthuma and Siyabonga Ndlozi were given minutes on the pitch.

“It was important to give a chance to all the players. It was the moment we are playing in many competitions, and of course, we respect all the teams, and we put all fit players, who can give me an answer about what I’m expecting today,” said Ouaddou.

The win over Rise and Shine was Pirates’ second match in three days, with their return leg of the CAF Champions League Second Preliminary Round encounter in the following three days against St Eloi Lupopo.

“We have in the corner of our head, the game of Saturday, it was normal that we proceeded from a turnover of the players,” concluded Ouaddou in relation to his squad’s rotation.

The Bucs faithful will certainly be hoping that Ouaddou’s objective-setting to contend with fixture congestion works wonders, as they look to overturn a three-goal deficit against FC Saint Eloi Lupopo at Orlando Stadium on Saturday.