Orlando Pirates News Today: Legend questions Sibisi’s World Cup inclusion, Ouaddou told to keep quiet & more

Latest news about Orlando Pirates, including a legend who wonders why Nkosinathi Sibisi is going to the World Cup and advice to Abdeslam Ouaddou over his ‘tired’ remark.  

Ex-Bucs star questions Sibisi’s World Cup inclusion

Former Orlando Pirates Xola Mlambo does not see why defender Nkosinathi Sibisi was included in the World Cup squad as he feels that space would have gone to a midfielder or attack-minded player.

Sibisi was among 11 defenders named in the final World Cup squad on Wednesday, with coach Hugo Broos taking three right-backs, as many left-backs and five centre-backs, but Mlambo feels the Pirates captain should have been dropped.

“Also to my surprise, so many centre-backs. If it was with me, I would have left Sibisi (behind), if we’ve got (Ime) Okon, (Mbekezeli) Mbokazi, (Olwethu) Makhanya, we’re covered, I’d choose (Khulumani) Ndamane over (Nkosinathi) Sibisi because he’s young. Sibisi was given a run at AFCON we saw what happened and he was not playing at Pirates if there was a Mbokazi, we could’ve (added) in attack,” Mlambo said on NXL360 YouTube Channel as quoted by KickOff.

Orlando Pirates legend makes CAF CL request

Ex-Orlando Pirates captain Benson Mhlongo has challenged the current squad to add the CAF Champions League to the trophy cabinet after ending their 14-year wait for a PSL title.

“I hope to see them earn the second star for the club. Congratulations to the players, the coaching staff, and the management. I’m yet to see the chairman appoint a coach who does not succeed. He always brings in someone new, someone we haven’t heard of, but he knows how to select a coach who understands Pirates,” he told KickOff.

Ouaddou slammed over ‘unfortunate’ comment

Former Orlando Pirates coach Owen Da Gama has hit out at current tactician Abdeslam Ouaddou over his comments that he is “tired and needs energy” immediately after his team won the PSL title, saying it was premature and he should have waited for the right moment.

“He did very well at Marumo Gallants, but then he left, and now he’s at Pirates, and he has done well, and now there is a lot of uncertainty. So it’s rather unfortunate because he’s a good coach and has done well,” Da Gama told FARPost.

“They say silence is golden. So sometimes you just need to understand what the Pirates management is thinking and what they are planning, and you take it from there. That I think is very important. I always tell coaches to wait for the right moment, but I always believe that silence is golden.”