Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has explained the passion and emotion behind his touchline reactions, insisting his demands for excellence come from wanting the best for his players and the club.
Ouaddou has quickly established himself as an animated presence on the touchline since taking charge of the Buccaneers, with the intensity of his reactions reflecting the expectations he has set for himself and his squad.
Following the Soweto derby triumph, in which Pirates secured a 2-1 victory over Kaizer Chiefs, the Moroccan tactician opened up about the emotional demands of coaching at a club of Pirates’ stature, explaining that his competitive nature is driven by an unwavering desire to achieve excellence.
“It’s not easy to do this job. When you played for 17 years and then decide to become a coach, especially at a big club like Pirates, you want the best for your team and your club. I am driven by excellence,” he said.
Ouaddou then referenced a story involving former Arsenal and France striker Thierry Henry, whose upbringing and relationship with his father helped shape his understanding of the mentality required to reach the highest level.
“I had my friend Thierry Henry here. I was reading his book and he said his father was never happy when he was young, playing in a youth team in Paris. I think in Clairefontaine, he was scoring four or five goals and when he came home, he was expecting his father to congratulate him, but he was told it was not enough.
“He was telling him he should score more. So, I’d like to push my players for excellence, to be better and better. As a big brother and a coach, you want the best for the players, but of course, on the side, you can see the emotion of someone who wants to win.”
The Pirates coach acknowledged that his emotional approach could have different effects on individuals within the squad, depending on their personalities and mental strength.
While some players can use that intensity as motivation to raise their standards, others might initially find it difficult to respond to the demands placed on them.
However, Ouaddou believes managing those emotions is an essential part of competing at the highest level, where pressure and expectations are constant.
“In some players, depending on their profile, my emotion can push them to be the best and for some who have a weak mentality, when they see the emotion of the coach, they can be surprised, but high level is a lot of emotions and pressure. And you have to manage these emotions,” he concluded.