Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has praised Bulelani Sigomoshe’s attitude and work ethic after handing the defender his debut in the Buccaneers’ 3-0 victory over TS Galaxy.
Sigomoshe came off the bench in the 55th minute against TS Galaxy, replacing Mthetheleli Mthiyane as Pirates secured a comfortable 3-0 victory.
Speaking after the match, Ouaddou explained that the opportunity was a reward for the work Sigomoshe had put in since arriving at the club.
“When he came on, I just congratulated him for the time he spent on the pitch,” Ouaddou told the media.
“He has a really fantastic mentality. For me, if I could have a lot of players like that to work with, I would be the happiest coach.
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“He is very professional and respectful. He worked very well in training, so we wanted to give him the opportunity to play.”
The 46-year-old tactician added that he had other options available but chose to give Sigomoshe his chance because of his efforts in training prior to the match.
“We had another choice. We could have gone for someone else, but I wanted to reward him for the work he has done in training since he arrived.”
Ouaddou also acknowledged that adapting to the demands at Pirates has been a challenge for the new arrival, particularly given the intensity of the team’s training sessions.
The coach believes that continued hard work will help Sigomoshe build the fitness required to handle a full match at a high tempo.
“It’s not easy to adapt. He was just shocked by the intensity of the training; he had never seen that before,” Ouaddou explained.
“If he continues to work like that, he will be able to play 90 minutes and repeat those efforts at high intensity.”
Sigomoshe will now look to build on his first appearance as he competes for more opportunities in a Pirates side balancing domestic commitments with their Caf Champions League campaign.