BackpageAbdeslam Ouaddou rates Tshepang Moremi's contribution as Orlando Pirates chase PSL title and reveals Bafana Bafana midfielder's 'gift of working hard'
BackpagepixMoremi making himself a key Pirates player
Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has reserved special praise for midfielder Tshepang Moremi who joined the Buccaneers from AmaZulu before the start of this season.
The 25-year-old has turned himself into a key figure for the Buccaneers and that has not gone unnoticed by Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos.
He has scored five goals in 11 games in all competitions for the Soweto giants whio are fighting to win their first Premier Soccer League title since 2012.
BackpageOuaddou's reward for hard work
“Moremi has been putting in fantastic performances since the beginning," said Ouaddou as per Sowetan Live.
"I have always said that people who work hard and believe in themselves also get rewarded. For Moremi, this is a gift of working hard.
“You have seen that [he] has been working hard since the beginning... even when it was not easy [referring to a period when Pirates fans booed him].
“He has always believed in his qualities. Of course, the technical staff was also here to assist him, giving him confidence and guiding him. It’s not finished...we can’t say the work is finished; we’ll continue working with him for him to be the best.”
BackpagepixThe bigger picture for Moremi
What could push Moremi to continue with his top performances is that he is currently a candidate to go to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations finals with Bafana.
He was part of the squad which participated in the crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Zimbabwe and Rwanda.
The former AmaZulu star has also been named in Broos' preliminary squad for the November 14 international friendly match against Zambia.
BackpageWhat comes next?
Apart from Moremi fighting to go to AFCON, there is the 2026 FIFA World Cup to aim for.
Going to AFCON and continuing with top performances for Pirates would increase his chances of being at the global tournament next June.
In the shorter term, Moremi will have his sights on Loftus Versveld this weekend as Pirates take on the perennial PSL champions Mamelodi Sundowns in their bid to oust Miguel Cardoso's men from the summit of the table.
