Ouaddou Explains Hugo Broos’s Heavy Reliance on Orlando Pirates for Bafana Bafana Squad

Orlando Pirates’ influence on the South African national team is more pronounced than ever, with a staggering nine Buccaneers named in the latest Bafana Bafana squad. The team is set to face Zambia in a crucial fixture at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, and for Pirates’ assistant coach Abdeslam Ouaddou, this dominance is anything but accidental.

A Testament to Club Performance and Professionalism

According to Ouaddou, the sea of black and white in the national camp is a direct reflection of the club’s rising standards. The Moroccan-born tactician argues that the Buccaneers’ ascent in the Betway Premiership has been built on a foundation of unwavering professionalism and consistency, qualities that have not gone unnoticed by national team coach Hugo Broos.

“First of all, I’d like to congratulate them because when you’re a part of the national team, you have to be proud,” Ouaddou stated in a press briefing. “It means that you have been selected among the best in your country. It shows as well that our club is working well.”

The selected Orlando Pirates players include Sipho Chaine, Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Nkosinathi Sibisi, Masindi Nemtajela, Thalente Mbatha, Sipho Mbule, Evidence Makgopa, Oswin Appollis, and Tshepang Moremi. For Ouaddou, these call-ups are a barometer of the environment fostered at the club.

“The club is creating the right environment for the players to perform,” he explained. “So, we are proud as a club and as a technical staff. We will support them 1000% for playing for the country.”

Resilience on Display in Carling Knockout Victory

The national team selections come on the heels of another significant achievement for the Sea Robbers. Just weeks after clinching the MTN8 title, Orlando Pirates have secured a place in the Carling Knockout final after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Richards Bay.

The solitary goal, a first-half strike from Tshepang Moremi—one of the newly minted Bafana Bafana call-ups—was enough to seal the deal at the Moses Mabhida Stadium. Coach Ouaddou was quick to admit that the performance was not a display of free-flowing, beautiful football, but he was effusive in his praise for the team’s character.

“I can’t say we had a fantastic game in terms of beautiful football,” the French-Moroccan tactician told reporters. “But it’s a cup game, we saw a strong team with good organisation and discipline. My players showed great resilience. Sometimes that’s all you need to reach the finals. It was a strong team performance throughout.”

This gritty victory sets up a final showdown with Marumo Gallants, who edged past Golden Arrows 4-2 on penalties after a thrilling 3-3 draw. It seems that for Orlando Pirates, success is becoming a habit, both at club level and on the international stage.

Source: Original article by Siseko Gwegwe.