Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has revealed that his relationship with Patrick Maswanganyi was not always straightforward last season, while admitting the playmaker’s departure to Bahrain comes as a blow to the club.
Maswanganyi’s exit came abruptly after he had established himself as an important figure in the Pirates squad, with the 28-year-old now set to continue his career abroad.
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Despite the circumstances surrounding his departure, Ouaddou was quick to pay tribute to the talented midfielder, describing him as a player any coach would want in their squad.
However, the Pirates coach also opened up about the difficulties he experienced with Maswanganyi last season, particularly when it came to the midfielder’s application in training.
“I have huge respect for this player, the titles he won, he’s a fantastic player, a gifted player, every coach would want to have him in their team,” Ouaddou said when asked by iDiski Times about his departure.
“We had difficult moments last season, it took a bit of time for him to understand what I expect of him. In training, I always said the job doesn’t start in the game, it starts in training at the start of the week.
“I was not happy with how he was training but I was happy how he came from 24th June, fantastic behaviour, fresh, in every training, full of energy every training.”
‘He could’ve been at the World Cup’
Ouaddou believes the change in Maswanganyi’s approach during pre-season demonstrated the level the attacking midfielder was capable of reaching.
The Pirates coach suggested that had Maswanganyi maintained that level of application previously, he could have earned a place in the Bafana Bafana squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“You all saw his potential at the start of the season, it was very important, he was very important,” he added.
“I think if he listened to me last season, he would have been at the World Cup, definitely.”
Maswanganyi now faces an entirely different challenge as he begins the next chapter of his career in Bahrain.
Ouaddou, who has experience of football in the region, warned that the move will require a strong mentality, particularly given the differences in supporter culture and the pressure placed on foreign players.
“Now I just want to wish him all the best for his new project,” he said.
“He’s going abroad, it’s not easy. He will have to be mentally strong in that region. I played close to that country, even there’s not much supporters like here in South Africa.
“Some stadiums are empty. I hope he finds joy there, even when there’s no supporters. There’s huge pressure from the owners of the club – they ask a lot from the players and the foreigners, five maximum, and there’s huge pressure on these players.”
Despite their difficult moments, Ouaddou stressed that he was pleased to have worked with Maswanganyi and highlighted the midfielder’s importance to his plans at Pirates.
“All the best for him,” the coach concluded. “I was very happy to work with him, especially this season, he was important for us in the middle.”