Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has heaped praise on rising star Rele Mofokeng, whose outstanding form continues to deliver standout performances.
The 21-year-old midfielder struck twice as the Buccaneers thrashed Golden Arrows 5-0 at the Orlando Amstel Arena, taking his tally to nine goals and three assists in just 11 matches this season.
Mofokeng’s impact has not only been felt at club level. His performances for Bafana Bafana have further underlined his growing reputation as one of South Africa’s brightest prospects. Ouaddou, speaking after the emphatic victory, admitted that players of Mofokeng’s calibre only emerge once in a generation.
“You get some players like that every 10 or fifteen years,” Ouaddou said. “He has talent, it is in his blood. He’s still young, so we need to give him instructions to be more efficient.”
The 46-year-old mentor stressed the importance of balancing individual brilliance with team objectives: “The individual project should be at the service of the collective project.” He added that while Mofokeng’s dribbling and creativity are invaluable, the coaching staff are working to refine his decision-making in strategic areas of the pitch.
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“Sometimes when you have such quality, you abuse it. Our job is to make him aware of which zones he can exploit with his dribbling, and where he needs to limit his touches,” Ouaddou explained. “He can score, he can assist, he’s mobile in midfield — players like him need a 360-degree possibility to play.”
Orlando Pirates will be back in action on Friday evening when they take on Richards Bay, as the Buccaneers continue their fierce battle with Mamelodi Sundowns for supremacy in the Betway Premiership title race. With Sundowns maintaining their winning momentum, Pirates know that every point is crucial in keeping the pressure on the reigning champions and ensuring the title race remains alive.