Sibisi says Ouaddou’s call for more Pirates goals was misread

Orlando Pirates skipper Nkosinathi Sibisi says head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou’s call for a sharper edge in attack has been read the wrong way, according to IOL.

A coach who wants no let-up

Ouaddou has urged his squad to keep pushing forward and to take their chances, even when a match already appears to be under control. Sibisi, a defender, said the message should be seen as a reflection of the standards the Moroccan coach sets for everyone at the club, and not as a complaint about how the team has played.

According to the captain, the coach does not want his side to relax once they are ahead. The thinking is that a team with the upper hand should keep looking for more goals. “If the team is there for the taking, why not?” Sibisi said. He added that the aim is to score as many goals as possible rather than settle for a modest winning margin.

Goals and clean sheets both matter

Sibisi also pointed to the need for balance. He stressed that attacking ambition has to go hand in hand with defensive discipline, and said that scoring more goals and keeping clean sheets are equally important targets for the team.

The captain said the players understand what is expected of them and where Ouaddou wants to take the side. For the squad, he explained, the focus is simply on continuing to improve, finding the net and conceding as little as possible.

Ouaddou has been outspoken about wanting Pirates to be more clinical when opponents give them the chance to stretch a lead. His approach reflects the standard he wants to establish at the club, where control of a game should be rewarded with a bigger return in front of goal.

The Soweto Derby ahead

The comments come with the Soweto Derby against Kaizer Chiefs on the horizon. Pirates will hope to turn that attacking approach into a real advantage against their biggest rivals.

Sibisi’s remarks suggest there is no split between the coach and the players over what is being asked of them. The captain insisted that the message has been understood inside the dressing room, which is the kind of unity the team will want to show when the derby arrives.

This story is based on reporting by IOL.