Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has compared his midfielder Kabelo Dlamini to French legend Zinedine Zidane.
Dlamini, who is yet to feature for the Buccaneers this season, could return for second CAF Champions League preliminary round clash against La Cure Waves of Mauritius.
The Buccaneers need win to advance to the next round having held to a draw away last weekend.
Dlamini is fit and was seen training on Friday which delighted a lot of Bucs fans.
“Dlamini is doing a great effort every day to come back and to be available for the team. I really appreciate the great spirit that he’s showing every day in training,” Ouaddou told the media.
With Patrick Maswanganyi gone, Orlando Pirates might look to rsn to Dlamini to play the playmaker role.
“These kind of players in the middle, in your team, are always important because they have a lot of creativity,” Ouaddou said.
“They are able to find these kinds of passes that not everybody can find in the small space. It’s a player that is able to have a quick decision-making.”
“And like I was speaking before, in this area of the game, you need players who can take a decision before receiving the ball,” he added.
Ouaddou sees similarities between Zidane and Orlando Pirates star
The Bucs coach felt Dlamini is similar to Zizou given both players lack pace but know what to do with and without the ball.
“I don’t want to compare him to Zinedine Zidane. But if you remember, Zinedine Zidane was not a quick player,” Ouaddou said.
“But before receiving the ball, he knows where he’s going to give the ball. That is what we need, actually, in the middle.”
