Orlando Pirates Head Coach Abdeslami Wadee Adopts More Patient Approach to New Players After Last Season's Mistakes

Abdeslami Wadee, the head coach of Orlando Pirates, stated that he is using a more measured approach to the start of the new season. He acknowledged that he learned lessons from the early difficulties of last season and is now treating the club's new acquisitions with more patience as the team begins another intense campaign.

During the transfer window, the team significantly strengthened its squad by signing at least nine new players. These players are preparing for participation in domestic tournaments and the CAF Champions League. Four of these newcomers debuted in Saturday's victory over the recently promoted Milford FC, having been introduced in the second half as Pirates sought to gain maximum points on the opening day of the Betway Premiership season.

This tactical approach differs from last season, when Wadee quickly integrated new footballers into the main squad after taking over from Jose Rivera. This rapid start led to difficult moments, as Pirates suffered two consecutive defeats in the first two league matches, which immediately put pressure on the new coach.

This time, the Moroccan specialist decided to ensure greater stability by giving new players time to adapt to the club's demands. Wadee noted: 'New players, you know, even I am learning; it is never too late to learn.' He added that last season he wanted to rush the integration of new players into the starting lineup, whereas this season he started with greater stability in the squad.

Wadee believes that the gradual inclusion of new footballers will allow them to have a greater impact as the season progresses. He emphasized that the new players bring additional energy and control to the game, especially when brought on in the second half. He expressed confidence that they will feature more frequently throughout the season.

The victory over Milford provided Pirates with an ideal start in defending their title, but Wadee realizes that the upcoming challenges will increase significantly. The team is now focusing on the MTN8 tournament, where it will begin defending its title against Durban City on August 8th at the Orlando Amstel Arena. Pirates has won this tournament for the past four seasons and intends to continue dominating it while balancing its ambitions in the Betway Premiership, CAF Champions League, and other cup competitions.

iol.co.zaJuly 29, 07:00

Orlando Pirates Coach Abdelslam Waddu Believes Mphoenkeng Replacement Requires Collective Effort

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdelslam Waddu told journalists at Rand Stadium that replacing Relobokhile Mphoenkeng must be achieved through the combined efforts of the team, rather than by finding a single player to fill the void left by the former club talisman.

The Significance of Mphoenkeng's Departure

Mphoenkeng was a central figure in Pirates' impressive 2025/26 season, inspiring the team to win the home treble, including their first title in the Betway Premiership in 14 years. The 21-year-old athlete concluded a memorable season by receiving the PSL Player of the Year award before moving to Belgian club Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, contributing 11 goals and nine assists across all competitions.

His departure created a significant creative deficit in Pirates' attack, but Waddu insists that the solution lies in strengthening the collective, not in finding a direct replacement. On Tuesday at Rand Stadium, he told journalists: 'Relo was an important player for the club. Looking at the data, his involvement in creating chances was huge, but I believe it is important to find a profile that can take over the baton.'

Attacking Development Strategy

The Moroccan coach clarified that instead of placing all responsibility on one person, Pirates used the recent preseason tour in Spain to develop various attacking combinations and identify players capable of sharing the creative load. He emphasized: 'As you know, we don't always talk about individualism; for us, it is important to talk about the collective. Therefore, we tried to work on this in Spain. We worked through many combinations, many different profiles in the center, trying to see. I think we will have a good answer this weekend.'

Upcoming Matches and New Signings

The Pirates team begins its defense of the Betway Premiership title against recently promoted team Milford on Saturday (match starts at 15:30). Waddu expects a tough challenge despite the guests' inexperience in the top division. He noted that 'a recently promoted team always has that passion, that motivation to be in a big league. I suppose they have very good team spirit if they managed to reach this level.'

While much attention was focused on replacing Mphoenkeng's creativity, Pirates also strengthened another key area by signing Norwegian forward Sebastian Pedersen. The 27-year-old arrived from Sogndal after establishing himself as a prolific scorer in Norway. Previously, Waddu had said that the club was specifically looking for a striker capable of increasing the conversion rate after creating many chances last season.

According to Waddu, although Pirates lost an individual goalscorer in Mphoenkeng, the team is confident that a stronger collective, supplemented by a natural scorer in Pedersen, will allow them to continue competing for trophies on all fronts, provided Pedersen adapts quickly to South African football.

iol.co.zaJuly 28, 19:00

Orlando Pirates coach explains the transfer of Norwegian forward Sebastian Pedersen

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Waddu explained to the media that the club's decision to sign Norwegian forward Sebastian Pedersen was driven by the need to improve finishing in front of goal.

Arrival of the new player

Pedersen, who is 27 years old, made an unexpected move to Buccaneers from the Norwegian second-division club Sogndal IL. He has become one of the team's main acquisitions before the start of the Betway Premiership season.

The forward possesses impressive productivity: over the last four and a half seasons, playing for Sogndal and Moss FK, he scored 51 goals and provided eight assists in 117 matches. Furthermore, he started the current Norwegian season in good form, scoring eight goals in 14 games before moving to South Africa.

Club's strategic goals

Waddu admitted that Pirates were specifically looking for a different type of striker who could complement existing players such as Evidens McGopa, Yanela Mbutuma, and Boitumelo Radiopane. The coach noted that the club's sports department was searching for a profile capable of increasing the average conversion rate.

He added: 'I know that last season we were a continental team with the best average number of chances created, and we have good players. I think he will integrate into the group.' The Moroccan coach believes that Pedersen's greatest advantage is his ability to convert chances in the penalty area.

Integration into the squad

Waddu emphasized that the sports department studied Pedersen and believes he will bring freshness, quality, and competence to the team. The coach also reported that integrating the forward during the club's recent pre-season tour of Spain was an important part of the process, helping him adapt to the new environment before the campaign starts.