Mofokeng’s replacement? Pirates playmaker making Ouaddou forget Rele

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has endorsed Patrick ‘Tito’ Maswanganyi to step into a more prominent position for the Buccaneers, especially following the recent departure of starlet Relebohile Mofokeng.

Maswanganyi delivered a standout performance in Pirates’ commanding 3-0 victory over Chippa United at Kings Park Stadium on Sunday. The attacking midfielder is showing clear signs of becoming a key figure under Ouaddou’s leadership.

The transfer of Mofokeng to Belgian club Royale Union Saint-Gilloise has created a significant creative gap in the Pirates’ lineup, as the 21-year-old was one of the team’s primary attacking threats. However, Ouaddou is confident that Maswanganyi has the necessary skills to fill this void.

“Everybody who understands football, who knows football, can see a fantastic quality on Tito,” Ouaddou stated as quoted by Soccer Laduma.

Ouaddou on ‘Tito’ is at his best

The Pirates coach believes the 28-year-old is most effective when he plays aggressively and drives the play toward the opposition’s goal.

“As long as he brings the game in his favour to play forward, it’s what we have been saying to him, to bring the game forward,” he explained.

Ouaddou also praised Maswanganyi’s capacity to connect the midfield with the attack while also making an impact in the final third.

“You see that he can help the team and he can be really the link between the defenders and the strikers,” the French-Moroccan coach noted. “Not only that, he’s able to feed in the last third, but he’s somebody who is able to score as well.”

How Pirates are helping Maswanganyi

The Pirates boss revealed that Maswanganyi has been receiving one-on-one coaching, including video analysis sessions, to enhance his on-field effectiveness and positioning.

“We sit with him. We talk a lot about which area he needs to occupy… in order to be more efficient. We did a lot of video sessions with him as well,” Ouaddou said.

While pleased with the midfielder’s dedication during pre-season and the start of the campaign, the coach emphasized that consistency will be key.

“He’s a clever boy. He knows exactly what we’re expecting from him and he showed it today,” he added.

Playmaker told to take advantage of Rele’s exit

With Mofokeng now starting a new chapter in Europe, Ouaddou acknowledged the opportunity for Maswanganyi to assume greater responsibility within the squad.

“And like you said, truly, with the departure of Rele, he has a big space there to play and a very big role to play for our club,” he affirmed.

Ouaddou also commended Maswanganyi’s positive attitude and commitment in training, suggesting his matchday performances are a direct result of his hard work behind the scenes.

“I’m very happy about his preparation since the beginning of the season. I’m very happy about how he’s training. I’m very happy about his attitude and it’s what I’m asking for my players,” Ouaddou concluded, stressing that success is built on the training ground during the week, not just on matchday.