Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou remains grounded in his approach, prioritising results over accolades as he steers the Buccaneers into the Carling Knockout quarterfinals.
Pirates sealed their spot in the last eight thanks to a late moment of brilliance from Mbekezeli Mbokazi, whose thunderous long-range strike secured victory and sent the Soweto giants through.
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The win stretched the team’s unbeaten streak to 11 matches across all competitions—a stark contrast to their shaky start to the season, which saw them suffer back-to-back league defeats and face mounting pressure on Ouaddou’s leadership.
Now, with momentum on their side, Ouaddou is quietly building a resilient squad focused on consistency and performance, rather than chasing records.
Rather than being disheartened, the Moroccan tactician remained composed, insisting he understood the scrutiny that comes with managing a club of Pirates’ stature.
The coach, who recently steered Pirates to the MTN8 title, now appears well on his way to adding another cup run to his résumé. Yet he maintains that chasing records is not his motivation.
“I’m not looking for records. I’m just enjoying the moment with my players, trying to give the best for the club. Trying to get results and play some good football,” Ouaddou said.
“It is not easy every time because the opponents analyse you and don’t let you do what you want. I’m not looking for records but to do a good job for the club and the players.”