Tensions boiled over as Orlando Pirates and Durban City FC played out a goalless draw on Saturday afternoon, and Buccaneers head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has revealed what frustrated him.
The Moroccan mentor cut a visibly frustrated figure as a confrontation erupted on the touchline.
The Buccaneers went into the encounter desperately needing a win to take one step towards lifting the league title. With their rivals, Mamelodi Sundowns, on 68 points, a win would have seen the Bucs go top of the Betway Premiership table on goal difference with one match to go.
They face relegation-threatened Orbit College FC on the final day of the season on 23 May at the Mbombela Stadium.
After the match, Ouaddou told journalists he felt compelled to react after witnessing what he believed was an unnecessary challenge on his goalkeeper, Sipho Chaine.
OUADDOU EXPLAINS HIS FRUSTRATION
“There is a difference between playing strongly with physicality on the ball and to break the players; this is not the mentality and never will be my mentality, as first an educator, before being a coach,” said Ouaddou. “I’m an educator, then a coach.
The former defender cited recent injury setbacks for Pirates winger Tshepang Moremi during the Soweto Derby as a reason for his emotional response. The injury sidelined the Bafana Bafana star for two matches.
“I need to protect my players. If someone cannot protect them in the middle of the pitch, I have to protect them,” he added. “If I have to remind you during the Kaizer Chiefs game, we lost Moremi, and he is just coming back, I’m happy, but he lost him for two games, a very important player.
“When you are an educator, and you are encouraging this behaviour, it is very bad.
“We must not forget that in the stands there are children. We have to be an example; football has to be a bridge, an example, and a model for the next generation. ”
Despite the heated scenes after full-time, Ouaddou insisted the matter was quickly resolved after a discussion with Durban City coach Pitso Dladla.
“I stayed quiet after the Kaizer Chiefs game when I lost one of my best players, and today [Saturday] I didn’t want to lose my best goalkeeper. The ball was far away, and they kicked the goalkeeper, which is very bad, but I had a chat with the coach of Durban City [Pitso Dladla], and everything is okay now, and he apologised,” added Ouaddou.
DLADLA ADMITS HE MISSED THE TOUCHLINE BRAWL ENTIRELY
Dladla, however, admitted he was initially unaware of what had caused the commotion on the touchline.
“About the commotion, to be honest, even if you can check, I was concentrating on one player giving instructions, and when I turned, I saw there was commotion,” said Dladla.
“Even now, I still need to ask what was really happening there.”
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