Abdeslam Ouaddou hails Abdoulaye Mariko’s progress in PSL adaptation - ‘You can see such improvement since last time’

Orlando Pirates midfielder Abdoulaye Mariko has finally forced his way back into Abdeslam Ouaddou’s matchday squad, after a debut season in the PSL that has been anything but smooth sailing.

After seeing regular minutes early in the campaign, the 22-year-old gradually slipped to the fringes as he adjusted to a new country and the demands of a different footballing philosophy.

However, his recent cameo against City hinted at a player starting to find his rhythm.

As a substitute, Mariko added real bite and composure in possession, knitting play together with maturity that caught the eye of his head coach, who believes the spell out of the spotlight has sharpened his understanding of South African football.

Reflecting on the midfielder's journey so far, Ouaddou admitted that the technical team might have thrown Mariko into the deep end too early when he first joined the club.

“I think at the beginning of the season, we gave a chance to Mariko against Marumo [Gallants]. He was just starting with Pirates. But he had several months to integrate into the pace of the PSL, to the aggressiveness, to the environment,” Ouaddou told the media.

The Buccaneers mentor was particularly impressed by the specific technical attributes Mariko displayed.

“I think we were a little bit quicker to put him into that gap. But he really did well today [Saturday], and you can see such improvement since you saw him the last time in a game. Today, he had the opportunity to play forward.

"He found some passes between the lines. He brings some dynamism as well. You can see.

"I think it’s very good news for the club, he must keep working,” the coach added.

While Mariko’s progress provided a silver lining, Ouaddou was left frustrated by his side’s overall performance in the goalless draw.

The coach was critical of a sluggish first-half display, noting: “We prepared well for the game, but I think that the first half that we played was a bit far from my expectations in terms of team intensity, in terms of rhythm, because the plan was in the first 15-20 minutes to put really high pressure and to suffocate the team to score early.”

“But it didn’t happen, it couldn’t happen. When we started so slowly, and maybe a lack of aggressiveness in our first half meant we didn’t manage to create so many chances.

"But I think that in the second half, especially in the last 30 minutes, we saw the face that we usually see from Pirates; a lot of intensity, to go forward, to hurt. We had 30 shots, I think. 12 on the target, but it’s not enough to win this kind of game,” concluded the frustrated Pirates mentor.