Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has responded to questions about his credentials and readiness to lead the three-time successive MTN8 winners.
Speaking for the first time since his appointment, Ouaddou has revealed how he was recruited for the role.
The Soweto giants announced towards the end of June that they had appointed the former Marumo Gallants tactician as the new man at the helm, replacing Jose Riveiro.
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The former Moroccan pro footballer is a UEFA Pro Licence holder and had his first taste of coaching in South Africa at the wheel of Gallants last season.
During that brief tenure, the 46-year-old oversaw 12 matches, five of which ended in victory, while he settled for a draw on four occasions. Impressively, he lost just three times.
Having not won any major trophies in his coaching career, questions remain about readiness for the hot seat at Bucs, with big shoes to fill as his predecessor lifted five trophies in his three years in charge.
Speaking to the club's media, the lanky mentor insisted experience is not the only quality that should be considered.
"People can say, 'This coach, what did he win? He’s not experienced, and how can he coach such a big club?' But I believe more in competency than experience," Ouaddou said on Pirates TV.
"You can have someone who has been coaching for the past 20 years but didn’t win anything. But on the other hand, you can have a young coach with competency, but he’s starving. He wants to win the league and other trophies.
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"At the same time, you can have a player in your team who has 15 years of experience but didn’t win any trophies. But you can have a 16-year-old with fantastic qualities who can make you win the league.
"What are you going to do? Will you choose the experienced one? So, I’m a bit confused when it comes to experience and competency," noted the former Fulham defender.
Meanwhile, Pirates have begun their pre-season preparations after landing in Spain on Tuesday. They take on Bolton Wanderers on Friday at 11:00.
Photo: Orlando Pirates
