Former Orlando Pirates midfielder Benedict ‘Tso’ Vilakazi has offered his take on Abdeslam Ouaddou’s team’s ability to smash in goals without relying on strikers, while addressing whether Tshegofatso Mabasa has been unfairly overlooked at Bucs and Bafana Bafana.
Pirates’ most consistent scorers this season are neither of the strikers, Yanela Mbuthuma [seven goals] nor Evidence Makgopa [six goals]. The Buccaneers have instead looked to attacking midfielders and wingers such as Tshepang Moremi [11 goals], Relebohile Mofokeng [eight goals], Patrick Maswanganyi [eight goals], and Oswin Appollis [seven goals] this season across all competitions.
But according to the club’s former superstar Vilakazi, it is all about coach Ouaddou’s ability to find solutions. “I would say that coaches should always find solutions,” Vilakazi told FARPost. “What coach Ouaddou did was find a solution. We always keep focus on strikers to score goals.
“Eventually, what happens is a lot of teams shut strikers out from getting those opportunities. Now you have to find solutions as a coach.”
BENEDICT VILAKAZI APPLAUDS COACH ABDESLAM OUADDOU
Vilakazi continued: “Ouaddou’s first solution was to find goals elsewhere when his strikers were misfiring, and his second was to focus on converting missed chances; he did very well to balance the team’s attacking play.
“He decided against putting too much weight on the strikers for goals. Other attacking players needed to take responsibility to score and create those chances.”
The Soweto-born legend added that he admires how the coach made every player take responsibility, noting that it is not easy to compete with a team like Mamelodi Sundowns for the Betway Premiership title. Vilakazi said the coach had successfully instilled accountability across the squad and described it as excellence on the coach’s part.
IS TSHEGOFATSO MABASA UNLUCKY WITH COACHES?
Shifting his focus to individual performances, Vilakazi didn’t hold back his admiration for Tshegofatso Mabasa’s recent form. While the striker’s journey has been marked by fluctuating game time and coaching decisions, Tso remains one of his most vocal supporters, emphasising that the forward’s natural goal-scoring instinct is a rare and valuable asset in the league.
“I am really happy to see Tshegofatso scoring at Stellenbosch FC. He is a player that I really, really like,” declared Vilakazi, following Mabasa’s brace for Stellies against Chippa United just before the current FIFA international break.
“He is a true goalscorer, and he always works hard. I like him a lot. He knows that I support him. Even when he was still with Pirates, I was always encouraging him. Always giving him that confidence that he can do it. What I have always told him is to go out there and give his best, whether he gets five or 10 minutes on the pitch.”
Meanwhile, Vilakazi remained tight-lipped on whether Mabasa’s perceived lack of pressing has cost him favour with various coaches. “I really don’t know,” he admitted regarding the Pirates loanee. “To be honest, I have no idea whether the coaches are unhappy with that or not. Only they can tell,” Vilakazi concluded.
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