Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has heaped praise on Relebohile Mofokeng, singling out the 21-year-old as the player who has impressed him most since he took charge of the Buccaneers.
Ouaddou replaced fan-favourite José Riveiro at the start of the season after the Spaniard opted to leave the Soweto giants for Egyptian powerhouse Al Ahly. The Moroccan tactician earned his move to Pirates following an eye-catching spell with Marumo Gallants, where his work quickly enhanced his reputation.
Although he was not the most popular candidate — with the likes of Pitso Mosimane, Benni McCarthy and Rhulani Mokwena reportedly ahead of him — Ouaddou has already justified the club’s faith. He has successfully picked up where Riveiro left off, guiding Pirates to MTN8 and Carling Knockout Cup glory, while keeping them firmly in the Betway Premiership title race alongside Mamelodi Sundowns.
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In his first major coaching role in South Africa, Ouaddou has relished working with some of the country’s brightest young talents, eager to refine their games and help mould the next generation of stars.
Among them, Mofokeng has stood out.
“I don’t like to speak too much about individuals because football is a collective sport and performance comes from collective work,” Ouaddou said on Bucs Camp. “But of course, there are some players who have impressed me, like Relebohile Mofokeng.
“He has the capacity to eliminate opponents, to scan the game and to know what he is going to do before receiving the ball. That is very interesting for me. I think it’s the future of football and it’s what makes his strength.
“He’s not tall, he’s not a physical player, but he can unbalance any team in the world with his quality — seeing before receiving the ball and making quick decisions.”
Mofokeng has yet to reach the heights of previous seasons, having failed to score and registering just two assists in nine league appearances so far. He will be eager to improve those numbers when Pirates face Sekhukhune United at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday, as they look to reclaim top spot from Sundowns.