ORLANDO Pirates players at training.
Image: Orlando Pirates FC
Orlando Pirates FC head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou believes his side’s recent break from action could prove crucial as they prepare for the decisive phase of a tightly contested Betway Premiership title race.
The Buccaneers have not been in action since their Soweto Derby outing on April 26 and will only return to the pitch on May 5, giving the squad a rare nine-day window away from competitive football at a critical stage of the season.
The Sea Robbers are slightly behind Mamelodi Sundowns on the log standings and are determined to collect all the available 12 points on the table for themselves.
Pirates have not won the league title since 2012 and are craving the prospects of ending that 14-year drought.
With the physical and mental demands of a long campaign taking its toll, Ouaddou sees the break as an opportunity to reset before the final push.
“I always say to my boys they’re doing a fantastic job because they started working last July and if you calculate the number of days of intense training (its a lot) and I’m not even counting the national team players because it’s more games,” he said.
“So yes, I think we get about nine days now and it’s important for them to rest because they’re not robots, they are human and more especially if you see the effort they put into the game at the speed we demand so it’s important for them to rest.”
Pirates will return to action on Tuesday with a demanding fixture against Stellenbosch FC at the Athlone Stadium, a match that could have significant implications in the title race.
Ouaddou emphasised that while rest is important, the focus will quickly shift back to performance and fine-tuning once the team regroups.
“And when we come back to the business, we have to analyse what we can fix. I can guarantee that the remaining games, we’re going with the same pace and motivation until we see the conclusion of this league race.”
The run-in, however, leaves little margin for error. After Stellenbosch, Pirates face Magesi FC away on May 9 before hosting Durban City FC on May 16 in what could be a pivotal clash.
Their campaign then concludes against Orbit College FC on May 23, a fixture that could ultimately determine their final standing.
Those fixtures present a mix of challenges, from direct rivals to potential upset-makers, demanding consistency across all fronts.
With squad rotation, fitness levels and mental sharpness all coming into play, Pirates’ ability to manage this period could define their season.