Ouaddou highlights how Pirates is similar to Arsenal

Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has compared his team to a European side in terms of the composition of his backroom staff.

Pirates have a large contingent of the men who work behind Ouaddou and they have been instrumental in making the team so hard to beat with the Moroccan coach ending the club’s 14-year wait for a league title last season.

The Soweto giants have started this season in fine fashion but Ouaddou is refusing to take all the credit. The Pirates coach has compared the makeup of his staff to that of a European club, saying it is similar to what he witnessed at Arsenal when he visited the club.

Ouaddou makes Arsenal comparisons

“What is important in our club is we have around 18 to 19 people in the staff. It’s a lot. It’s like in Europe,” Ouaddou said as quoted by FARPost.

Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta and his backroom staff. Image: Imago

“If you go to Arsenal, I’m very close to Mr [Arsene] Wenger, and at the time when I had a visit there in Arsenal, I have seen he had 18 people in his staff. In Pirates, we have 18 to 19.”

The Pirates coach has praised his backroom team for making his work easy and singled out his analysts for helping them overcome Namibian side Africa Stars in the CAF Champions League after doing their homework properly.

Orlando Pirates playing against TS Galaxy. Image: Orlando Pirates

“People see only the coach, but you have to understand that around the coach there are a lot of competences, and I want to mention it: African competences. This is important to mention,” he said.

Pirates coach lauds backroom staff

The analysts also help manage the workload of players which allows Ouaddou to know who is going beyond their limits and needs a rest like it was witnessed last weekend when Deon Hotto was rested for the Champions League clash.

Kabelo Kgotsitsile celebrates his goal with Orlando Pirates teammates. Image: Orlando Pirates

“What is important is what comes from the stand, because we manage the fatigue, we manage the high-intensity effort,” said the Pirates coach.

“So, if one player is getting in the red flag, that maybe we can risk an injury, so we take him out before he gets this injury. Sometimes it’s just to bring some freshness, sometimes it’s to protect our players as well because we have many fixtures, and sometimes it’s a tactical adjustment.”