Marumo Gallants and Abdeslam Ouaddou: A contractual tug-of-war
- Martin T
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
The contentious departure of coach Abdeslam Ouaddou from Marumo Gallants continues to be a source of confusion, with both parties presenting conflicting narratives regarding a supposed contract breach.
The saga began with a two-year agreement between the Moroccan-French coach and the Bloemfontein-based club. This deal included a significant salary increase contingent on Ouaddou successfully steering the team clear of relegation.
Ouaddou delivered on his promise, securing the club's Betway Premiership status in the just-ended 2024/25 season. However, citing severe financial distress, Gallants reportedly offered him less than half of the agreed-upon increment.
For Ouaddou, this constituted a clear breach of the original understanding, rendering the contract, in his view, "null and void."
The R1 Million Clause: A Sticking Point
Gallants, however, appears to hold a different interpretation. The club reportedly believes a R1 million clause within the contract grants them the right to prevent Ouaddou from joining another team unless he pays this amount.
Ouaddou publicly announced his departure from the club on Saturday night, bringing an end to his brief four-month tenure with Bahlabane Ba Ntwa. Gallants swiftly countered his announcement with a statement denying receipt of any official resignation, dismissing Ouaddou's public declaration as "unverified reports."
In response, Ouaddou revealed that club chairman Abram Sello had "shocked" him by failing to "financially honour the option" on his contract for the upcoming two seasons.
He argued that the club's inability to meet its financial commitments negated the need for a formal resignation letter, instead advocating for a mutual termination of their agreement.
"I had an appointment in Johannesburg with my chairman [Abram Sello] , and I learned that he won't be able to pay the salary we negotiated when I arrived in March," said Ouaddou on Metro FM.
"The target was to serve the club for two years, and we had already negotiated everything, but when someone tells you they can't afford to pay you next season, there are two choices: you can decide to stop, or if you love the club, if you love the people and players, you will try and find a solution. So, I asked the chairman for another offer; he gave me an offer with a clause I did not like, a clause that was very unfair.
Ouaddou joined Bahlabane Ba Ntwa in March, taking over from Dan Malesela, who has since returned to Baroka FC in the Motsepe Foundation Championship.
Beyond securing their top-flight status, Ouaddou also guided Marumo Gallants to the Nedbank Cup semi-finals, where they were ultimately defeated by Orlando Pirates. During his 12 matches across all competitions, Ouaddou's record stands at five wins, four draws, and three losses.
