Ouaddou ‘sick’ of unambitious Pirates players – ‘If you don’t want to win you can go’

Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has fired a warning to his players over what he feels is complacency in their displays.

Pirates beat Marumo Gallants 3-0 on Saturday to move six points clear of second-placed Mamelodi Sundowns, who have a match in hand, thanks to first half goals from Yanela Mbuthuma and Patrick Maswanganyi before Relebohile Mofokeng scored the third five minutes from time.

However, Ouaddou was left furious as he felt his players did not show seriousness in the manner in which they created lots of chances and did not take them.

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“I think I can say the only positive point today is the three points, that’s it,” Ouaddou told the media after the match.

“I think the positive thing is we scored early, if Marumo scored early, I think things could have been different, but you’re right, when you’re playing for such a big club with a lot of ambition,” he added.

The Pirates coach feels the complacency among his players is a recurring thing and does not think it is the right attitude if they want to win a first PSL title in 14 years.

𝗢𝗨𝗔𝗗𝗗𝗢𝗨 𝗙𝗨𝗠𝗘𝗦 𝗔𝗧 ‘𝗨𝗡𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗢𝗨𝗦’ 𝗣𝗜𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗦 🚨

“If some people don’t want to win the title, they must put their hands up and say it.”

Orlando Pirates boss Abdeslam Ouaddou delivers a scathing assessment of his side’s mentality. With the title race heating… pic.twitter.com/W9zKPqj2JM

— FARPost_ZA (@FARPostZA) February 15, 2026

“It becomes crucial that you need to finish in the last third, I have been saying that – but it’s becoming a sickness – and if you want to be more ambitious, let’s convert the chances and let’s say I can go further and deeper and say; let’s be serious, let’s be more serious in the last third,” said Ouaddou.

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“We’re not here to play circus, we’re here to compete and there’s a lot of expectation from the club, from the fans – it’s a huge club in Africa, everybody is ambitious here, I am very ambitious and I will not hide, we want to win the title!

“We will not hide it, and if some people don’t want to win the title, I think they have to put their hands up and say it, because I don’t want to lose time with people who want to joke on the pitch, I don’t want to lose time, I’m not here for that!”

Pirates have a tough match coming up next against title rivals Sundowns and Ouaddou will be looking to see if his players show their ruthless side.