Ouaddou under fire for changing winning Pirates team – ‘New player must fight for positions’

Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou started his Premier Soccer League campaign with the team on a low note, losing back-to-back matches against Sekhukhune United and Marumo Gallants, respectively.

Babina Noko claimed a 1-0 win before Ouaddou's former team came from a goal down to go home with three points after a 2-1 result. The two losses have now put the Soweto giants third from bottom, winless and pointless.

On Saturday, it might get worse as the Buccaneers face Mamelodi Sundowns in the first leg of the MTN8 semi-final with Mamelodi Sundowns at the Orlando Stadium. That couldn't have happened if Ouaddou had stuck with the already established players who delivered under Jose Riveiro, according to former Kaizer Chiefs winger Junior Khanye.

He is asking why the former Morocco international made the many changes to the starting XI, benching key players.

‘Others must fight for their positions'

“Pirates looked like a new team; I am not too sure why they made that many changes coming to this game. They want to challenge the league. They were supposed to remain with the team that played over the weekend,” he told iDiski TV.

“[Against Gallants] I’d have made two subs, bring in [Deano] Van Rooyen if he is there, and take out [Tshepho] Mashiloane at right wing-back and [Boitumelo] Radiopane out and bring in [Tshegofatso] Mabasa in the starting XI.  

“Other than that, leave the team the way it was; there was nothing wrong with it. Leave [Sipho] Mbule to be complemented by [Sihle] Nduli and Patrick ‘Tito’ Maswanganyi, also play Relebohile Mofokeng on the left-hand side. The likes of [Oswin] Appollis, [Kamogelo] Sebelebele, and [Tshepang] Moremi must fight for positions.

“I’m still saying Pirates haven’t signed a wing forward because when you sign a player, you have to check the club’s style of play. You should have checked if these three, Pirates’ style of play would suit them because you have to be an exciting player to watch as an attacking player at Pirates, be able to assist and score,” Khanye concluded.