Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou makes selection stance clear - 'I want to put the strongest team'

Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has revealed the extent of the pressure he faces at the helm of the Soweto giants.

Speaking after a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Durban City in the MTN8 quarter-finals on Saturday, the coach defended his decision to field a full-strength lineup rather than rotating his squad for the cup competition.

Ouaddou was steadfast in his approach, making only one change from the side that defeated Milford FC in their Premier Soccer League opener.

Ouaddou’s cautious approach is rooted in a harrowing experience from the previous campaign. After suffering defeats in his first two league matches last season, the Moroccan found himself in a volatile situation where his personal safety was at risk from disgruntled supporters.

This history has shaped his current philosophy, ensuring he treats every fixture with the intensity of a final to avoid a repeat of those scenes.

Reflecting on those dark days, Ouaddou did not hold back when explaining his current mindset to the assembled media.

"I’m not here to give flowers to people; we are not in a circus. We are in a professional ecosystem. There are a lot of expectations," Ouaddou told the media.

"If you want me to remind you of my first two games last season, you think that I was happy to have eight bodyguards around me?

"So I want to win, I want to win games."

The MTN8 carries significant weight for the Bucs faithful, and Ouaddou is fully aware that anything less than a trophy will be viewed as a failure.

By selecting his 'strongest team,' he is attempting to align his ambitions with those of the board and the fans.

The coach further elaborated on the weight of expectation hanging over the club this season.

"Of course, I want to put the strongest team because there are a lot of expectations.

"The fans want to win that competition [MTN8], the club wants to win it. It’s not easy. I want to win it as well," he continued.

Ouaddou understands that while players might feel disgruntled by a lack of minutes, it is the head coach who bears the brunt of the criticism when results go south.

"I want to win it as well. So I need to put a strong team, the guys who deserve, the players who deserve to play because they show in training, they show in the preparation.

"There is nothing guaranteed, and it’s how we push the players to have competition."

He concluded by highlighting the harsh reality of the coaching profession and the scrutiny of the press.

"But I’m not here to give flowers because when you lose two or three games, who is in the headlines?" the Pirates mentor questioned.