BETWAY PREMIERSHIP LAUNCH | I'll keep the legacy, says Ouaddou as new coach embraces Orlando Pirates' project

Orlando Pirates will embark on a season where legacy meets ambition — a campaign poised on the edge of dreams and expectation. With the weight of hope and history pressing on their shoulders, the Buccaneers face a defining chapter as the 2025/26 Betway Premiership kicks off this weekend.

The Buccaneers finished 13 points short of ending their 13-year title drought during the last campaign, once again falling behind a Mamelodi Sundowns team, who are now aiming for an unprecedented ninth straight league crown.

Abdeslam Ouaddou will oversee his first league fixture as the Sea Robbers’ coach on Saturday, with his side set to meet a well-organised Sekhukhune United at Orlando Stadium (5.30pm kick-off). Both clubs come into this encounter on a high, having secured wins in the MTN8, setting up a tough start to their respective campaigns.

Ouaddou joins a Pirates team that has enjoyed significant success over the last three seasons under José Riveiro. While the league title is clearly the club’s primary objective — especially after their off-season recruitment — the ex-Fulham centre-back is determined to maintain the team’s momentum rather than overhaul what is already working.

“As a new coach, it's very important to keep the legacy,” Ouaddou said during the Betway Premiership season launch on Tuesday in Johannesburg.

“When you come to a club such as Pirates, which has been doing very well to build that legacy for the last three years, it would not be wise for me to come and try to change everything.

“I will keep the good things and try to bring my touch. We are expecting an exciting season and we want to please our fans. We had a good pre-season camp and the club made some new signings, with the scouting team doing a good job.

“I am a happy coach. We cannot hide — we are going to play our role in the upcoming season.”

With their arsenal now fully assembled, Pirates’ recruitment strategy will come under scrutiny starting this weekend, as the true test begins to see if it will be successful.

Several new signings have come through their doors, with each addition aimed at strengthening positions where the team lacked depth in the previous campaign. While the MTN8 gave a sneak peek into what the new arrivals can contribute, the Buccaneers also saw the departure of key player Mohau Nkota, and the uncertainty around Relebohile Mofokeng’s future continues ahead of the season opener.

Notably, many of last season’s regulars were absent during their 2-0 MTN8 quarter-final win over Polokwane City on Saturday.

With a larger squad now at his disposal, Ouaddou suggested that further exits remain possible — though final decisions will include himself and the club’s management.

“We have a very big squad,” he admitted.

“I do not decide alone. Pirates is an institution — I have the board and the management — but I came to Pirates to continue the work that has been done. If we have to reduce the squad, it will be done with management.

“The coach cannot come and do what he wants. There are bases and we have a philosophy. The club knows exactly what they want.

“A perfect squad for me would be 28 players. I think that could be interesting,” he concluded.