Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has explained why he will not be forced to tinker with the team’s approach to the remaining Betway Premiership games to get an edge over title rivals Mamelodi Sundowns.
The Buccaneers are involved in a tight league title race with Sundowns as the season enters the home stretch. Ouaddou’s side is a point clear at the top of the table, ahead of second-placed Masandawana.
However, the Tshwane giants have a game in hand on Pirates. The Soweto giants have five matches to play before they wrap up their league campaign. It is a stage of the season where both title contenders cannot afford to drop points.
Among Pirates’ remaining fixtures is this weekend’s Soweto Derby clash with Kaizer Chiefs and a visit to Stellenbosch FC. But Ouaddou insists he will not manage his squad differently in their remaining outings to gain an advantage over Sundowns.
Ouaddou’s troops are currently on an eight-match unbeaten streak, which includes six wins and two draws in the league.
OUADDOU REFUSES TO COMPROMISE PIRATES’ PHILOSOPHY
“No [we are not managing the squad differently], I think we just follow our philosophy, we have a group of players that we trust, everybody is involved in the project,” said Ouaddou. “We are playing every game to win. There is no game at home or away that I change my vision, maybe to say, ‘okay, we are going to play away, maybe we will play for a draw.’
“You know, when you coach Pirates, there is no philosophy that you are playing attacking football [only] away or at home. That’s what we have been doing.
“We have had a lot of successful moments this season, and it’s part of football that sometimes you play a good opponent that maybe manages to challenge you regarding their bravery, the organisation, like some teams did this season.
“But we cannot ignore all the good things that our team did this season. Definitely, we are going to keep pushing. I like the team spirit; you can see on the pitch how they fight. Even when it’s not easy, we keep on fighting.
“You can see that we can propose some interesting phases of football as well.”
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