‘My players are 1,000% ready’: Pirates coach Ouaddou on Carling final

Fresh from overtaking Mamelodi Sundowns at the top of the Betway Premiership standings, Orlando Pirates have turned their attention to the Carling Knockout final against Marumo Gallants.

Coach Abdeslam Ouaddou says the Buccaneers are more than ready to take on the highly unpredictable Gallants at the sold-out New Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on Saturday (6pm).

Pirates go into this clash with confidence sky-high as they have gone eight matches in all competitions without defeat, a run that includes seven wins and one draw.

Even more impressively for the Buccaneers, they have not conceded a goal in their past three matches, and they have scored five.

This is something Gallants must guard against because Pirates have a goal or more in them with an attack that boasts Bafana players such as Relebohile Mofokeng, Oswin Appollis, Tshepang Moremi and Evidence Makgopa.

Ouaddou said Bucs are ready for the final and he has a good headache about who to select because of the depth in his squad.

“It is important to involve all the squad members to keep them motivated and to win games,” he said at Rand Stadium as they ramped up their preparations.

“I always say you can win a game with 11 players, but to win competitions and trophies, you need the entire dressing room. For now, we are focusing on the training and tactical periodisation.

“I cannot tell you about the line-up or the group I am going to select for the final. The only thing I can tell you is that my players are 1,000% ready and motivated. I felt it on Monday when they came back from the rest, everybody is focused and giving their best to be among the group for the final.”

Pirates have nine players in the Bafana Bafana squad announced by coach Hugo Broos on Monday for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers in Morocco that start this month. Ouaddou said they have been rewarded for good performances.

Those players are Sipho Chaine, Nkosinatho Sibisi, Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Thalente Mbatha, Appollis, Mbule, Mofokeng, Moremi and Makgopa.

“We are proud as a club, and for me as a coach, to have our players in the national team. I told you in the past that Orlando Pirates is working for the nation.

“We are available for coach Hugo Broos and when we see our players in the national team, we wish them all the best. But before speaking about the national team, we have a target this week in the Carling Knockout final.”

Ouaddou, who saved Gallants from relegation and steered them to a creditable 10th place, arriving at the Free State club in March last season, will be up against 28-year-old Marumo coach Alexandre Lafitte, who can spring a surprise.

“When you are so young and manage to come to the South African league, you have qualities. What I have noticed with him compared with me last season is he was able to sign players.

“When I was there, I had to deal with the players I got there, but he is doing a good job. He is a young coach, but we have a lot of talented coaches in South Africa. I always speak about Manqoba Mngqithi of Golden Arrows, Lehlohonolo Seema of Siwelele FC, Gavin Hunt, and Steve Barker of Stellenbosch.”