Ouaddou blasts Pirates’ “nonsense” showboating after Carling win

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou did not mince words after his team’s 2-1 victory over Magesi FC in the Carling Knockout Cup quarter-final, condemning the showboating displayed by his players late in the match.

The Soweto giants secured their semi-final spot thanks to goals from Tshepang Moremi and Evidence Makgopa. However, after taking a comfortable two-goal lead at Orlando Stadium, the Buccaneers eased off and began entertaining the home crowd with unnecessary skills, a choice Ouaddou slammed after the final whistle.

The coach’s frustration was compounded when Magesi scored a late consolation goal, disrupting the planned clean sheet.

Pirates Coach Demands Professionalism Over ‘Circus’ Acts

Ouaddou, whose side was recently eliminated from the CAF Champions League via a penalty shootout, was furious that his players sacrificed tactical discipline for flair.

He praised the team’s strong initial performance, stating, “The boys did a fantastic job in terms of football and what we wanted to execute today. We managed to have a lot of chances, I think at half-time we could have been leading with five goals. So it’s positive, I’d like to congratulate my boys for that.”

However, the tone quickly changed when addressing the final quarter of the match. The coach labelled the players’ antics as “nonsense” and suggested such behaviour has no place in a professional football environment.

“Now my big disappointment is the last 15 minutes… If we want to be more ambitious, if we want to go forward, we have to stop this nonsense [showboating] and enjoy playing small passes.”

“I think if we want to do that, we have to go to the circus. I’m not here to go to the circus; I’m here to improve my players and go forward. We have to stop this nonsense because in the end, we conceded a goal, and the target was not to concede.”

Ouaddou’s comments underscore a clear zero-tolerance policy for extravagance that compromises the team’s focus and tactical objectives, setting a firm standard for professionalism as Pirates enter the business end of the cup competition.