Vilakazi confident Ouaddou right guy for Bucs

New Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou joins the team with a thin CV, which unsurprisingly divided opinion after Bucs named him as Jose Riveiro's replacement on Monday.

The Pirates job is Ouaddou's biggest in a five-year coaching career which has seen him take over four other coaching jobs, the longest of which was two years at little known Benin side Loto-Popo.

He claimed one trophy with DR Congo's AS Vita two years ago.

Like his predecessor Riveiro, Ouaddou lands the plum Bucs coaching position with a lot of doubt; but the four-month stint he had at Marumo Gallants should stand him in good stead, according to club legend Benedict "Tso" Vilakazi. 

"Look, he did very well at Marumo Gallants, they [Pirates supporters] just have to give him the support and confidence to say we believe in you, and we saw the job you did at Gallants and hope you will do it here at Pirates," Vilakazi told Sowetan on Monday.

"He is a good coach looking at what he did with Gallants. He didn't even have a pre-season with them. We always know Gallants to be fighting for relegation, but he put them in a position where they didn't have to worry about that. Just imagine with the material and resources at Pirates, I think he can take the club to another level."

Ex-professional footballer Ouaddou first transitioned into coaching in 2014 in colts of French side AS Nancy, whom he played for until he retired in 2013. He then became head coach at Moroccan side Mouloudia d'Oujda in 2020 for four months and had a stint at Benin's Loto-Popo for two years. He was also in charge of Congolese giants AS Vita in 2024 where he stayed for nine months.

"He has an opportunity to create his history because he will find good players at Pirates," Vilakazi said.

"I think he is going to do well, we just need to give him time and I think it is good that he will have a pre-season with the team unlike at Gallants, yet he still put them in a good position. Imagine with the good players Pirates have ... I think things will be much better."

Ouaddou record at Gallants

P 12: W 5, D 4, L 3.

Clubs Ouaddou coached since 2020

Mouloudia d'Oujda [Morocco]: Appointed October 2020 until January 2021

Loto-Popo [Benin]: Appointed July 2021 until August 2023

AS Vita [Democratic Republic of Congo]: Appointed January 2024 until September 2024.

Gallants: Appointed March 2025 until June 2025.

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