Treble-winning Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has admitted that he almost handed in his resignation earlier on in the season after mounting pressure following his first two defeats.
Ouaddou said this after clinching the 2025/26 Betway Premiership title with a 2-0 win over Orbit College on the final day of the campaign in Mbombela on Saturday. They collected 69 points in 30 outings, one more point than the side they dethroned Mamelodi Sundowns.
This also meant the Buccaneers secured a domestic treble in Ouaddou’s first season as head coach, while also sending Orbit College back to the First Division.
The Moroccan-born coach revealed to the media how he proposed quitting after losing his first two league matches but instead management offered him support and confidence in his abilities to bring the side the league title which they hadn’t won since 2012.
The coach said his bosses deserve credit as well saying it’s their vision that’s led to the success.
“And these two games that I lost, I am a human being like I told you, I’m working with passion,” said Ouaddou.
“And you lost two games, even you knew that the work will pay. But you don’t have time, like I told you, you have the popular court in the social media, they’re putting pressure, they want results, but I’m not a magician at the same time.”
“I have 10 new players, that’s a new game model that the players they need to learn and I will not lie to people to say no, no, I will get you the result. So, when I lost these two games, I didn’t have other choice [but] just to propose my resignation to my management. I am honest and I am an honest man. I’m not chasing contracts; I’m not chasing money. I’m doing this job for love.
“If people don’t like me, what can I do? I just have to give my resignation. I don’t ask anything, I shake your hand, I take my flight and I go back to France, but I have chance to be supported by fantastic people.
“They didn’t want to hear about that. They said no, we interviewed you maybe more than five times, we listened to you, we know exactly that you are the man that can lead us to the Promised Land. So, they support me, they give me the trust, they give me confidence. So, credit has to be given to them.
“Maybe in other places, in other clubs, maybe they will chase you after two games, but the result today is not the result of Ouaddou. It is the result of the vision of Mpumi [Khoza] and Nkosana [Khoza], the father [Dr Irvin Khoza]. This is the division of Pirates, clever people, and it’s not only the title of Ouaddou is the title of the community of Pirates.”
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