You have to feel for Abdeslam Ouaddou. After building Orlando Pirates into the most dominant team in the PSL top flight last season, heโs set to rebuild yet again this season as his structure continues to buckle due to injuries and departures.
Fan favourite and attacker Patrick Maswanganyi became the latest player to leave the Soweto giants on Monday, following his move to Bahrain Premier League side Alkhaldiya Sports Club.
Maswanganyi notably followed Relebohile Mofokeng, who joined Royale Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium, and Sipho Mbule, who also moved to Iraq, through the exit door. Deano van Rooyen also parted ways with the club recently by mutual consent.
With 17 players having already left since the start of the season, there could still be more departures as the local transfer window only closes late next month โ something that could result in a nervy period for Ouaddou.
Not only has the Moroccan dealt with the bittersweet moment of seeing his regulars leave, but the list of players in the medical room has also piled up. Sihle Nduli recently suffered an injury in his first game back after a long lay-off, joining Thalente Mbatha and Evidence Makgopa, who are both injured.
Granted, Pirates were busy in the transfer window, bolstering the squad with mostly youthful and exciting players. However, of the lot, only Ghampani Lungu has a notable track record, while the rest are still finding their feet in top-flight football.
Lungu has shown flashes of that experience and desire to make the most of his time at the club, helping Pirates reach the MTN8 semi-finals โ where they hold a clean sheet and an away-goal advantage over Sekhukhune United after winning the first leg 1-0 in Polokwane.
Thatโs not all. The Zambia-born attacker has also proven to be vital in the league, helping Pirates beat Milford FC and Chippa United before being held to a draw by AmaZulu away from home. Lungu didn’t feature when Pirates beat Sekhukhune 2-0 in the league on Tuesday night.
With Lungu settling in nicely at the club, Ouaddou will be pleased. However, the Moroccan is likely still unhappy with the fact that some of his remaining players from last season โ such as Oswin Appollis and Kamogelo Sebelebele โ have not been at their best since the start of the campaign.
Of course, Pirates is not a “one-man” team; players come and go, while injuries are part of the game. Thatโs why Ouaddou needs to demonstrate his coaching credentials by blending experience with youth to at least defend their three trophies this season.
Given that both Maswanganyi and Mofokeng scored crucial goals for the team last season, Ouaddou is sweating over his attacking depth โ as Lungu cannot create and score goals all alone.
Yanela Mbuthuma continues to endure a barren run in front of goal despite the faith shown in him by Ouaddou and the growing criticism from fans. Meanwhile, new striker Sebastien Pedersen only made his debut for the team last week, playing a 25-minute cameo against Sekhukhune before making his second apperance on Tuesday night.
Given all that, Ouaddou will take comfort from the fact that his defensive unit still looks steady. Goalkeeper Sipho Chaine has impressively kept four clean sheets across all competitions in six games.
Ouaddou praised his No. 1 and captain Nkosinathi Sibisi for quickly moving past World Cup fever, unlike some internationals who struggled at the start of the campaign.ย
Reaching and winning the MTN8 final, which would be their fifth in a row, would take some pressure off Ouaddou. However, he will know that without a firing attack, he still has a major rebuild on his hands this season.
@MihlaliBaleka
IOL Sport
