Orlando Pirates Coach Delighted as Key Players Return

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou expressed his delight at having several senior players back in the squad following the Buccaneers’ 2-0 victory over Chippa United. The win moved Pirates level on points with defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns at the top of the Betway Premiership table, with 25 points and a game in hand against Durban City at Moses Mabhida Stadium.

Ouaddou highlighted the impact of returning stars Makhehleni Makhaula and Olisa Ndah. Speaking after the match, he praised the medical team for their role in helping players recover mentally and physically from long-term injuries. “I’m a happy coach. When you have all these big names coming back and growing the number in your team, I know it’s very difficult to make choices, but I prefer to be in trouble to choose players than not to have players,” he said.

The coach also shared a light-hearted moment about Makhaula’s eagerness to return. “Just about Cash (Makhaula), you know, it’s been now three weeks every morning when he comes to check me, he squeezes very hard my hand to tell me, ‘Hey coach, I’m here, I’m back.’ So, it makes me feel that he’s back, so I’m happy for him to be back on the pitch.”

Ouaddou noted that the positive reception from fans further demonstrated the value of the returning players. “We can feel the love that he has from the fans when he came, they were very happy. So yeah, Ndah as well – he’s coming, we are happy because he had a long injury. It’s very important for a player to feel the ball, to feel the group, to be with the group. It gives you more motivation to come back, so I’m happy for them,” he added.

The return of Pirates’ core players comes at a crucial stage of the season as the team chases domestic success and consistency under Ouaddou. The addition of experienced squad members is expected to strengthen the team’s performance in upcoming league matches.