Orlando Pirates assistant coach Mandla Ncikazi has opened up on what he admires most about head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou.
Ouaddou endured a tough start to life in South Africa, losing his first two Betway Premiership matches against Sekhukhune United and Marumo Gallants.
However, he quickly silenced critics by steering Pirates to MTN8 glory, restoring confidence within the squad.
Ncikazi praised the French-Moroccan tactician for embracing his African identity, noting that it resonates strongly with the players.
“What I like about Ouaddou, he knows himself that he is from Africa. It’s important when we stand in front of players for them to see that he is theirs,” said the Bucs assistant coach.
“He looks at the players with the eye of an African man and respects everyone at the club in an African way.”
Ncikazi also highlighted Ouaddou’s decision to work without bringing his own technical team as a sign of trust and self-belief.
“Not many coaches would agree to come to such a club without their own technical team. That speaks to how much he trusts himself. You can look at it as if he is not smart, but I felt this man came alone saying, ‘If you want to sabotage me, you can.’ That hit me hard – it showed me what kind of person he is.”
On the pitch, Ncikazi believes Ouaddou has already elevated Pirates’ performance, particularly by introducing a more direct and transitional approach.
“We used to dominate possession but sometimes lose matches. Now, if you look at our goals, they come from transition football. The likes of Tshepang Moremi, Relebohile Mofokeng, and Oswin Appollis are running, pressing, and recovering better. Players are not cramping now. He does his job well.”
Ncikazi concluded by praising Ouaddou’s strong work ethic and passion for the game, qualities he believes have already made a difference at Pirates.