Ouaddou sets his sights on domestic and continental glory with Pirates

Speaking to the media at the MTN8 press conference yesterday, he’s repeated his statements that the league and the CAF Champions League titles are on their menu for this season again. 

Most new coaches come to their clubs cautious about their targets, but not Ouaddou.  

The former Moroccan national team captain has recalled how he told his players before last season, that he wanted to win the league...

"The first pre-season training I had with the team in Spain last year, I told them that we need to win the league and people thought I was arrogant. I know many coaches are cautious and say they need players and time, but sometimes you have to have the guts to say despite everything I'm here to win the league."

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There will be no room for error when two teams meet, with three games to be played in a space of seven days. They meet in the first leg of the cup competition tomorrow, followed by the league game at the Orlando Amstel Arena next Wednesday and then the second leg next weekend. Ouaddou says Pirates can win all three games.

There’s also been a lot of excitement from the Pirates fans as they wait to see the new Norwegian striker Sebastian Pedersen making his debut for the club. Pedersen has been in the country for two weeks, and Ouaddou says it’s just a matter of working on his fitness levels...

"The question now is can he put his qualities on the table. He is not 100% fit just yet but the performance department is working closely with him in order to have him fully ready. There is a period of integration he has to go through considering he has found himself at a new club and in a new country, and you have to be cautious with him because as a coach I'm not just going to through him into the fire."