Ouaddou: 'I don't teach football to nobody, but...'

Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has hit back at some fans, former coaches and club legends who have questioned his stance on showboating.

Ouaddou recently made it clear that he does not want his players to prioritise showboating, a stance that has attracted criticism from some Pirates faithful.

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Some believe and insist that skills and flair are part of South African football culture.

However, the Moroccan coach has now responded, stressing that he respects the country's football culture but has a clear mandate at Pirates.

Ouaddou: 'I am here to get results'

Ouaddou pointed to his impressive start in the Buccaneers dugout, with Pirates unbeaten after seven matches this season, recording six wins and one draw while scoring 16 goals and conceding just once.

"I heard some ex-coaches from Pirates, some legends saying that coach Ouaddou cannot come here to teach us football," Ouaddou told the media.

"I don't teach football to nobody. I'm very humble. I respect the culture. I respect this fantastic country. I like it. I love it. I love South Africa. I love these people.

"But these people who were ex-coaches, they have to understand that I am here for a mandate. I am here to get results. I am here to take the best from my team and to win games.

'Entertainment is not for me'

"There is a difference between skills to play forward, to score goals, to be efficient and entertainment. And entertainment is not for me," the coach explained.

"So I think they have to be careful because we have to work together. These ex-legends, they have to work with us. They have to help the coach. They have to help the team and not speak on the side like that because it doesn't help the team.

"I'm training a professional football team. I'm training a huge club in Africa. I'm training a very big institution in the continent. So we want to keep our range in Africa, scoring goals, to be consistent, and I think the message is clear.

Ouaddou in SA to embrace football

"The coach is not here to teach or to give lessons to anybody. The coach is here to embrace football in South Africa, to help some players to improve. This is my job."

"So the message has to be clear. I'm not here to fight people. I am really happy to be in Pirates. I am honoured to be the coach of one of the biggest clubs in Africa.

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"When we want to work together as an institution, they have to come and help the coach. Because these people who speak, when we lose one or two games, they are the first ones that come in the media to say the coach must be fired.

"So it's not good. They have to help us and I'm here just to save. I'm here to save the football in South Africa. I'm here to win titles. I don't think I'm speaking bad about South African football. I respect the culture. I respect the country."

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Abdeslam Ouaddou News Orlando Pirates Premier Soccer League South African Football