He takes over from Jose Riveiro, who had a very three-year successful stint with Bucs.
New Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has thanked the club board and the fans for the warm welcome he has received since joining the club.
Pirates announced Ouaddou as their new coach last month. He takes over from Jose Riveiro, who had a very three-year successful stint with Bucs.
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The Moroccan said he was honored to be part of the Pirates.
“It’s a club, but for it’s an institution, when I see the fantastic organisation of the club, we can really say it’s an institution,” Ouaddou told Pirates TV.
“I will try to speak honestly and respect the brand, the football, and the fans as well, there is world between the organisation, the professionalism, the vision as well, I can say in Marumo Gallants, I had a good time, fantastic behaviour, mentality of players,” added Ouaddou before outlining the difference between his former club Marumo Gallants and Pirates.
“Nice people, fantastic fans as well, the fans fantastic, very friendly people, so I appreciated a lot. But if we compare the two clubs, it’s too far away. was very surprised by the way I was scouted by Pirates.
“I can tell you Pirates are in the future, very advanced about how they are seeing football, how they are managing the club, I can tell the fans, those who love Orlando Pirates are lucky to have such people looking after the club.”
Ouaddou in awe of Pirates management
Ouaddou said he was amazed by how Pirates are managed, having played England and France during his playing days.
“I played in England and France, I’m not sure if I have seen the way this people are managing the club, getting exactly what they want.”
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Ouaddou also revealed that Pirates have been tracking his progress for the past four to five years.
“The board saw me four or five times before taking a decision, they don’t take anyone just like that.
“There’s a lot of criteria, and when you past the first criteria, they have another one, when you finish, they have a second, and third, there’s a fourth one. We can say that the most important things will be results, when you coming to such a big club, there’s a brand,” concluded Ouaddou.
Ouaddou’s first official game in charge of Pirates will be against Polokwane City in the MTN8 on the weekend of 1 and 2 August.
