Ouaddou the right coach for Pirates, says confident Vilakazi

New Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou joins the team with a thin CV, which has unsurprisingly divided opinion after he was named as Jose Riveiro’s replacement on Monday.

The Pirates job is Ouaddou’s biggest in a five-year coaching career that has seen him take over four other jobs, the longest of which was two years at little-known Benin side Loto-Popo.

He claimed one trophy with the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) AS Vita two years ago.

As his predecessor, Ouaddou lands the plum Pirates coaching position with a lot of doubt but the four-month stint he had at Marumo Gallants should stand him in good stead, according to Buccaneers legend Benedict “Tso” Vilakazi. 

Ouaddou took over Gallants, battling relegation in the final three months of the 2024-2025 Premier Soccer League and steered them to a creditable 10th place.

“He did well at Marumo Gallants — they [Pirates’ supporters] have to give him the support and confidence to say, ‘we believe in you and we saw the job you did at Gallants and hope you will do it here at Pirates,’” Vilakazi said on Monday.

“He is a good coach looking at what he did with Gallants. He didn’t have a preseason with them. We know Gallants to be fighting for relegation, but he put them in a position where they didn't have to worry about that.

“Just imagine with the material and resources at Pirates, I think he can take the club to another level.”

Ouaddou also has some stature as a former player, having earned 68 caps for Morocco and played in Europe for 11 years, including four seasons at Fulham from 2001 to 2005 and turning out for Rennes, Olympiacos, Valenciennes and AS Nancy.

He first transitioned into coaching in 2014 with the colts of French side AS Nancy, whom he played for until he retired in 2013.

He then became head coach at Moroccan side Mouloudia d’Oujda in 2020 for four months before his two years at Loto-Popo. He was in charge of DRC giants Vita in 2024 where he stayed for nine months.

“He has an opportunity to create history because he will find good players at Pirates,” Vilakazi said.

“I think he is going to do well, we just need to give him time and I think it is good he will have a preseason with the team, unlike at Gallants.”

Ouaddou’s record at Gallants

P12: W5 D4 L3

Clubs Ouaddou has coached since 2020

Mouloudia d’Oujda (Morocco): Appointed October 2020 until January 2021

Loto-Popo (Benin): Appointed July 2021 until August 2023

AS Vita (Democratic Republic of Congo): Appointed January 2024 until September 2024

Marumo Gallants: Appointed March 2025 until June 2025