Buccaneers Crisis - The ship is sinking: Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou is facing a lot of backlash ahead of Mamelodi Sundowns MTN8 clash, following disappointing PSL start

Well, well, well… who would've thought? Two games into the new season, and the Buccaneers - the very team that gave Sundowns a proper run for their money last season - are sitting rock bottom with zero points to their name. It's almost unfathomable. A side that finished second in the league, hoisted the MTN8 trophy, and reached the semi-finals of the Champions League now finds itself in a spiral, having suffered back-to-back defeats. Losing to Sekhukhune United was bad enough - but to follow that up with a loss against Marumo Gallants? That’s not just disappointing; it’s downright shocking.      

When you look at some of the decisions coming from Ouaddou, you can’t help but scratch your head. His team selections have left many puzzled. Why were so many key players benched or omitted entirely from the matchday squads? Most notably, star winger Relebohile Mofokeng was left warming the bench. If the idea was to "rest" players, one has to ask: rest them from what? The league has just begun, and there’s no reason players should be fatigued at this stage. These choices are not only questionable - they border on reckless.  

It’s understandable for a new coach to want to make his mark, to put his stamp on the team. But Ouaddou's approach feels more like an overhaul than a tweak - and it’s backfiring. In trying to rebuild, he seems to be tearing down what was already a solid foundation. Pirates, under Jose Riveiro, were a team of pedigree. They were consistent, competitive, and collected silverware. The team had chemistry, cohesion, and a clear identity. Yes, the club signed a slew of new players this season - enough to field two complete squads - but instead of enhancing the core, the changes have disrupted it. The new recruits aren’t gelling, and the squad looks disjointed - this will get him in trouble, really. Ouaddou should have built on Riveiro’s success, not hit the reboot button on a machine that was running just fine.  

What happened to that sharp, high-octane Pirates football we all admired? The side that tormented opponents with blistering pace down the wings through Mofokeng and the now-departed Mohau Nkota seems a distant memory. In midfield, the duo of Thalente Mbatha and Makhehlene Makhaula once formed the backbone - yet neither has featured this season. Sure, Makhaula is sidelined through injury, but Mbatha? His exclusion is a mystery. Without them, the team lacks rhythm and direction. The football is uninspiring, sluggish, and devoid of the spark that once defined Pirates. Ouaddou needs to swallow his pride, go back to basics, and rediscover the formula that made this team feared. 

One of the biggest dangers any coach can face is the dreaded uprising of player power - where players, especially the senior ones, start to quietly turn against the man in charge. We’ve seen this movie before, most infamously with the now-defunct SuperSport United side, where a core group of senior players pushed for the ousting of Eric Tinkler. It’s not unique to South Africa - it’s a global phenomenon, and Ouaddou would do well to steer clear of it. Disgruntled players, especially those who feel unjustly sidelined, can quickly shift the mood in the dressing room. To maintain harmony and authority, Ouaddou needs to manage his squad wisely and start making decisions that not only make tactical sense but also earn the respect of his players.  

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