Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou happy to see nine players from Bucs make Bafana Bafana AFCON squad but worried about negative impact it may have on club

Orlando Pirates lost coach Jose Riveiro at the end of last season, paving the way for former Marumo Gallants tactician Abdeslam Ouaddou.

Despite the many signings made and a poor start to their league program, the French-born Moroccan steadied the ship and has since won the MTN8, Carling Knockout, and the Carling Black Label Cup, which is unofficial.

In the Premier Soccer League, Orlando Pirates have managed nine wins, a draw, and two losses, which has seen them go top of the table with 28 points, two more than second-placed Mamelodi Sundowns, who have played a game more.

This explains why they produced nine players for the Bafana Bafana team that will compete in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), to be played in Morocco from Sunday, December 21.

Goalkeeper Sipho Chaine, defenders Mbekezeli Mbokazi, who has since joined the Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire, and Nkosinathi Sibisi, midfielder Thalente Mbatha, Oswin Appollis, Tshepang Moremi, Relebohile Mofokeng, and Sipho Mbule, are with the team in North Africa.

Striker Evidence Makgopa is also part of the squad.

The last time Orlando Pirates won the Premier Soccer League title was in the 2011/12 seaso, since then, things have not worked their way thanks to Mamelodi Sundowns' dominance.

In the 2017/18 and 2018/19 seasons, they finished second, a feat that has been replicated in the last three editions, with Masandawana beating them to the crown.

This is the best chance, arguably, to win the title, if the display in Mzansi is anything to consider. It explains why coach Ouaddou is worried that his stars might come back from AFCON with injuries.

"I think you can be right. Sometimes, when you are in good momentum, and you have a long break, you can feel like you want to stop this dynamic, of course," he told MSW in a recent interview.

"But for us, with the staff, with the management of the club, we believe that if you manage to plan the training, the prioritisation for the next five months, you plan the things.

"I believe that you have less risk to have this sort of things happen," Ouaddou added.

"We have already started working on the preparation for January and, to be honest, we have a team that is capable of reaching the target.

"Of course, my only fear is the players from the national team. 

"We hope they will all come back without any injuries," he concluded.

Apart from the Premier Soccer League, Orlando Pirates will be aiming at winning the Nedbank Cup title, a crown they lost to Kaizer Chiefs last season.

Meanwhile, Bafana Bafana legends Itumeleng Khune and Hlompho Kekana have opined on who should play in the no. 10 role at AFCON.

In the absence of Mamelodi Sundowns' legendary midfielder Themba Zwane, questions have been asked about who among the two Orlando Pirates players can effectively play in the creative role behind the strikers. 

While a section feels Master Chef is suited for the job, others feel the 21-year-old versatile attacker should be given the opportunity.

Former Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Khune believes the duo brings a different dimension to the team.

"Rele is more of a player who can pick a pass. There is a situation where Rele wanted to chip the ball to the far post instead of trying to take a shot," he said in his analysis on SABC2.

"The difference is that Mbule can take a shot, Rele can’t. Rele wants to collect. As a number a no.10, he always wants to combine, get a touch and then pass the net," he added.

Sundowns legend Kekana sided with Mofokeng, "I like how he is mobile on the ball. Like I said when we saw this kid before, he used to be that kid who likes to do darling, darling on the ball.

“Now he controls his body shape, moves to half spaces, occupies spaces that will hurt any number six," he concluded.

South Africa left the country for North Africa on Wednesday night.

They will start their campaign on Monday against Angola before facing Egypt on December 26. Their final Group B game will be three days later against Zimbabwe.