Ouaddou explains touchline emotion after Pirates’ Soweto derby win

Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has explained that the emotion he shows on the touchline comes from wanting the best for his players and the club, according to iDiski Times.

The Moroccan has quickly become an animated figure in the technical area since taking charge of the Buccaneers. His reactions, the report said, reflect the high expectations he has set for himself and the squad.

Speaking after the Soweto derby

Ouaddou addressed the subject after Pirates beat Kaizer Chiefs 2-1 in the Soweto derby. He spoke about the emotional demands of coaching a club of Pirates’ size, and said his competitive nature is fuelled by a desire to achieve excellence.

He pointed to his own career as a reference. He played for 17 years before moving into coaching, and said that doing the job at a big club is not easy. “I am driven by excellence,” he said.

The Thierry Henry story

Ouaddou also referred to former Arsenal and France striker Thierry Henry, saying the Frenchman had recently visited him. He said he had been reading Henry’s book, which describes how Henry’s father was never satisfied when Henry was a boy playing in a youth side in Paris.

In Ouaddou’s retelling, Henry would score four or five goals, possibly at Clairefontaine, and expect praise at home, only to be told it was not enough and that he should score more. Ouaddou said he wants to push his own players towards excellence in the same spirit. He described himself as a big brother as well as a coach who wants the best for his players, while also showing the emotion of someone who wants to win.

Different players, different reactions

The coach accepted that his approach can land differently depending on the player. Some can use the intensity as motivation to lift their standards, while others may initially find it hard to respond to the demands placed on them.

Ouaddou said players with a weaker mentality can be surprised when they see the coach’s emotion. He believes dealing with that is part of competing at the top, noting that “high level is a lot of emotions and pressure”. He concluded that “you have to manage these emotions”.

This story is based on reporting by iDiski Times.