Pirates Unveils Ouaddou’s Technical Team
Orlando Pirates has officially confirmed the technical team supporting newly appointed head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou, whose unexpected appointment was announced on Monday morning.
Ouaddou takes the reins ahead of the new season, stepping in for Jose Riveiro, who departed to join Al Ahly after a successful three-year stint.
Ouaddou previously managed Marumo Gallants, leading them to a 10th-place finish last season and even securing a league win against Pirates along the way. He also guided Gallants to the Nedbank Cup semi-finals, though they lost to Pirates in that instance.
“Coach Ouaddou, who is expected to arrive in South Africa towards the end of the week, will be assisted by Mandla Ncikazi and Rayaan Jacobs, Helmi Gueldich, and Tyron Damons,” Pirates stated in a recent announcement.
The club’s pre-season preparations are set to officially kick off on 27 June. For their upcoming campaign, Orlando Pirates will embark on their third consecutive international pre-season tour to Marbella, Spain. This training camp, running from 8-20 July, will include high-level friendly matches against European opponents such as Bolton Wanderers (England), Pafos FC (Cyprus), Las Palmas (Spain), and Granada (Spain).
Pirates appears confident in Ouaddou, as his appointment, much like his predecessor Riveiro’s, came as a surprise.
“Born in Alnif, Morocco, the 46-year-old brings a wealth of experience both as a player and a tactician,” Pirates highlighted.
“A former Moroccan international, Ouaddou earned 68 caps for The Atlas Lions and enjoyed a distinguished playing career across several top European leagues. His deep understanding of the game, coupled with a strong leadership profile, positions him well to lead the Buccaneers into a new era.”
Among his 68 caps for Morocco, Ouaddou was part of the Atlas Lions squad that narrowly lost 2-1 to Tunisia in the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations final.
He was also on the bench during Morocco’s 2002 Africa Cup of Nations group stage match against Bafana Bafana, where Carlos Queiroz’s side secured a 3-1 victory with goals from Sibusiso Zuma, Thabo Mngomeni, and Siyabonga Nomvethe.
