Is Abdeslam Ouaddou setting problems for himself at Orlando Pirates? - 'You are going to divide your dressing room; you are going to start a problem'

Orlando Pirates legend Benedict 'Tso' Vilakazi has criticised Bucs' head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou for not keeping last season's first XI as he integrates a number of new signings into his squad.

Tso, as Vilakazi is famously known, said Ouaddou has been quick to trust the new signings, and it would have been wise to keep the squad he found.

"As a coach, you come to a new team that finished in the top four in the Champions League, a team that finished second in the league, a team that won trophies, and you decide to immediately change it. How are you going to win?" Vilakazi asked, as quoted by KickOff.

"Oswin Appollis and Sipho Mbule are good players, but let them work for their positions so that there can be competition for places in the team," he added.

"If you are changing the team now at the start of the new season, what are you saying to the guys who did well for the team last season? You are going to divide your dressing room. You are going to start a problem."

"The coach and the management need to be smart in how they introduce the new players to the team. What coach Ouaddou is doing now is setting himself up for failure."

The Sea Robbers suffered back-to-back PSL losses after going down against Marumo Gallants on Tuesday.

The game against Gallants, Ouaddou's former side, was a chance for the Soweto giants to redeem themselves, but they could not.

Apart from the results, Ouaddou has found himself under immense scrutiny given how he lines up his players. He has preferred some of the new signings to those who were mainstays in Jose Riveiro's squad.

At right-back, Tshepo Mashiloane looks to be his preferred option at the expense of Deano Van Rooyen, while Sihle Nduli has been a prominent figure at the heart of the midfield under the Moroccan.

Nduli's preference has relegated Thalente Mbatha to the bench, although fans will be more keen to see who the coach will prefer when midfield maestro Makhehlene Makhaula is back from injury.

Boitumelo Radiopane has been leading the attacks at the expense of Tshegofatso Mabasa, Riveiro's lead attacker in the previous seasons.

This radical surgery of the squad has been linked to Pirates' struggle, and how quickly Ouaddou turns things around could determine his fate at the club.

After the back-to-back league losses, the coach will have an even tougher challenge on Saturday.

Pirates are set to face Mamelodi Sundowns in the MTN8 semi-final. Being the defending champions and having won the last three editions of the competition sees the Bucs and their new coach come under additional pressure to see off the Tshwane giants and proceed to the final.