Ouaddou Praises South Africa's Football Standards as Semi-Final Approaches
With the prospect of reaching his second cup final if he can get past Richards Bay this Saturday at Moses Mabhida Stadium, Abdeslam Ouaddou has spoken about the standard of football in the country since his arrival.
The 47-year-old Moroccan arrived on South African soil in March 2025, tasked with securing Marumo Gallants' Betway Premiership status come the end of the season.
His current employers sit second on the Betway Premiership log standings heading into their Carling Knockout semi-final against Richards Bay this Saturday at Moses Mabhida Stadium.
“I think the standard of football in South Africa is top. I discovered a very professional environment, a very professional ecosystem, not only on the pitch. The organisation of the games, the organisation of the press conferences, and the professionalism of the media. All the time, the questions are regarding football, so I am very happy about the ecosystem of football in South Africa,” said Ouaddou.
The former Marumo Gallants mentor has already had his first taste of silverware at the Buccaneers in the form of the MTN8, which quietened the early signs of uncertainty from the Pirates faithful.
“Since we haven’t played the game, we cannot pretend to go to the final. For me, it’s very important to prepare well for the game. To analyze the opponent very well, to respect all the teams,” added Ouaddou.
The Buccaneers are currently aiming to win their first-ever Carling Knockout Cup this time around.
“I think it will be a very tough game on Saturday. First of all, we are in Durban, so they will have this pride to play strongly against Orlando Pirates, and they will want to bring the two teams to the final,” said the former Moroccan international.
A mouthwatering spectacle is to be expected as Richards Bay will certainly be looking to progress to the final, where they will be quietly hoping to meet their KwaZulu-Natal counterparts, Lamontville Golden Arrows, if they can beat Ouaddou’s former side on Sunday at King Zwelithini Stadium.
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