Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has challenged his players to show greater seriousness after they booked their place in the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League, saying he will walk away if they prefer to showboat than scoring goals.
Pirates secured a 3-1 victory over La Cure Waves on Friday night to complete a 3-1 aggregate win and progress to the next stage of the competition.
However, Ouaddou was not entirely satisfied with his side’s performance, particularly after they allowed the Mauritian champions to take an early lead.
“We didn’t start the game like we wanted, conceded an early goal, it was a surprise for us, we did not expect that, but I liked the reaction, to score minutes after, it proves we have resources, personality and character,” Ouaddou said.
The equaliser helped Pirates settle into the contest before racing into a 3-1 lead, with the coach pleased by the way his team increased the tempo and implemented aspects of their training during the week.
“It gave us power, energy to lift the rhythm of the game. I was happy how we managed the game in terms of tempo, we managed to rectify the small mistakes we made in Mauritius.
“I saw the patterns of work we did in the week, like how we saw the third man in the back four.”
Despite controlling much of the second half, Ouaddou felt Pirates could have added several more goals, while expressing his frustration at what he felt was a drop in intensity.
“We dropped in the second half, I was not happy. Yes, we had more control, I think we could have scored three or four more goals,” he said.
“I repeat again, the rhythm dropped when we stopped being serious and started showboating.”
‘I will not accept showboating’
With Pirates now through to the second preliminary round, Ouaddou has made it clear that the club’s ambitions extend well beyond simply progressing through the opening rounds.
“If we want to win the Champions League, be ambitious and go far, we must know football is about being serious, going forward and taking chances,” he added.
“I was really, really not happy about the second half.
“I want them to be more serious, to win the Champions League. We have the ambition to win the Champions League, we won’t hide it.
“We must stop these things. This does not help us, it doesn’t help nobody. It only helps the ego of the player, but it doesn’t help the team.
“I want goals, goals, goals — that’s what I want. If my players are satisfied with three goals, we cannot go far. I don’t want to lie to people. We must take this job seriously.
“Football is scoring goals. You want to put goals, six or seven, ok I will allow it [showboating] and I will sit. If you see me sitting on the seat, it means that I don’t I agree but I let them showboating.
“When you put seven goals, no problem. But they have to understand that the top level, the best footballers it’s scoring goals. It’s the expectation, it’s the mandate.
“My job as a coach is to improve players, is for them to give the best, to win games with a winning mentality. The moment that I will accept showboating, I will leave the results, I will leave everything, and I will pack my luggage and I will stop training.
“Because it’s not my world, my world is winning games. We cannot go in the second half like that with showboating and to miss chances, to score six, seven goals. This is not serious.
“If they want continue to do this, please without me. I will not be the coach. It’s clear, I prefer to stop and maybe bring somebody who will accept the showboating. I will not accept the showboating.”
Pirates will now face African Stars of Namibia in the second preliminary round after they produced a memorable comeback against Gabonese side Mangasport.
African Stars overturned a 3-1 first-leg defeat with a 2-0 home victory to progress on the away-goal rule.