Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou says the immense pressure he’s been under in recent weeks has a tinge of discrimination and expressed his elation for the players, staff and management after reaching the MTN8 final.
Pirates’ back-to-back defeats in the league against Sekhukhune United and Marumo Gallants put the new head coach under immense pressure but followed up with a 1-0 win over Stellenbosch in the league and now a scalp over Mamelodi Sundowns to reach the MTN8 final – a trophy they have won for three consecutive seasons.
His reaction after the 4-1 win on penalties was one of joy, relief and ecstasy as he was seen hugging and giving forehead kisses to his technical staff and players on the sidelines.
“To criticise people, it means you’re doing a public job, you have done it for many years, I’ve been in football four 30 years, when you go to the cinema and you don’t like the movie or you go to the theatre and you don’t like what they suggest to you, you paid for the ticket so you can criticise,” he said.
“So when my fans aren’t happy, at a big club, when you’re not winning, I understand them – what can I do? The only thing you can do is work, be silent, and to give everything and to be patient… I’m doing this job with passion, I love my players, my staff.
“I came alone here, I could have come with six people, a team in Europe, but I believe in African competencies, the grass is not greener elsewhere, if you profile people in South Africa, their is competencies – I don’t need to bring people here. This victory is not only the players, or mine – it’s the staff, the club and management.
“The problem in the mind of people, when you have black skin, straight away we don’t give these people time [to work], I just ask give me time – I know my competences, I’m African proud,” Ouaddou said.
“It’s why I kissed my brothers [in my technical team at full-time] because they did a good job, so if I have time, maybe I can help the club, if I don’t, I will be sacked and I go as well, it’s football, it’s life, but I love my job.”
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