Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou celebrates with his staff after winning the Betway Premiership.
Image: Backpagepix
Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has strongly suggested he will remain at the club next season after outlining an ambitious CAF Champions League target for his technical team.
The French-Moroccan mentor took to social media to thank his backroom staff following a historic campaign that saw Pirates end a bitter 14-year league title drought and complete a magnificent domestic treble.
While intense speculation over his future surfaced late last season after Ouaddou admitted it would be dishonest to continue if he felt “tired”, his latest message points directly to a coach already planning for the next chapter.
“To my incredible and dedicated staff, I am writing these few words from the bottom of my heart to send you my most sincere congratulations and my deepest thanks,” Ouaddou wrote on Instagram.
“Thank you for your hard work, your invaluable expertise, your constant dedication, your sacrifices, and above all, for your boundless love for football and for our club, the Orlando Pirates.”
The 47-year-old reflected on a unforgettable season that restored the Buccaneers to the summit of South African football, crediting his staff for helping navigate the immense physical demands of competing on multiple fronts.
“As evidenced by the wonderful memory of our victorious crew in those photos, we have accomplished a monumental amount of work this season,” he said. “Together, we have put an end to a 14-year drought. Like true pirates, we have sailed every sea and ocean, braving the storms, to finally bring the treasure home!”
Having delivered silverware and renewed optimism among the ghost95 faithful, Ouaddou insisted that the focus must now shift to maintaining those elite standards.
“This season, we managed to make our wonderful [and oh so demanding] fans deeply happy. I wholeheartedly hope that we continue to bring this immense joy into their daily lives next season.”
His clearest indication that he intends to honor his project in Soweto came in his closing remarks.
“Disconnect and recharge your batteries, because I will need you again to carry out a special mission when we return: to go and recover another massive treasure in the CAF, without letting anyone steal the one already sitting in our cave!”
The message is bound to excite Pirates supporters, with Ouaddou clearly signalling that the club’s next major objective is continental success while simultaneously defending the domestic crown they worked so hard to reclaim.
The core of Ouaddou's treble-winning side are currently out in North America, preparing to fulfil national duties with Bafana Bafana at the World Cup. How much of a rest they will actually get ahead of the new season largely depends on whether South Africa can defy the odds and go deep into the global showpiece — a sight even Ouaddou would be pleased to witness.