Orlando Pirates assistant coach Mandla Ncikazi has given a candid take on his working relationship with the club’s head coach, Abdeslam Ouaddou.
The former As Vita Club coach, Ouaddou, took over the hot seat at Pirates ahead of the 2025/26 Betway Premiership season, aiming to take the club to new heights. Ouaddou bagged the coaching job at the Buccaneers after proving his qualities at Marumo Gallants, where he helped the side survive relegation last season.
After displaying impressive tactical acumen, Ouaddou was entrusted with the big task of leading the Buccaneers. The Moroccan mentor came in as a replacement for Jose Riveiro, who left the club in May 2025 before his contract expired.
In the first few months at Pirates, Ouaddou has had a promising start to life at the club after winning the 2025 MTN8 title. In addition, the 47-year-old tactician is also on course to win his second trophy with the club after reaching the Carling Knockout Cup final, where he’ll face his former club, Gallants.
In the league, Pirates are sitting second on the log with 22 points in 10 matches played so far. They are three points behind log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, who are on 25 points with 12 games.
With Pirates seemingly one of the best teams in the PSL, Ncikazi has praised Ouaddou’s impact. The former Golden Arrows coach is part of the Soweto giants’ technical team after Ouaddou decided against bringing his own backroom staff to the club.
WHAT NCIKAZI SAID ABOUT WORKING WITH OUADDOU
“Football and sports reflect the society that we come from. One thing that I picked up from the coach is that before the coach, he’s a great human being,” Ncikazi said.
“He understands that he is African, and he respects African people. There is a statement that he uses; he says he will use the expertise that he finds in the club. A very few coaches do that, we don’t trust each other, and we are also scared to be stabbed behind. Only a confident and good human being can do that.
“The relationship just explains him, he says I don’t kiss anybody, I only kiss the people I work with. That is a sign that whatever we do together, I appreciate him, for him to recognise the people who are already at the club, it says a lot. Normally, it doesn’t happen that way, hence the results speak.”
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