Sebastian Pedersen: Abdeslam Ouaddou Explains Why Orlando Pirates Signed Norwegian Striker
- Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou revealed the reasoning behind the club's signing of Norwegian striker Sebastian Pedersen
- Pedersen, 27, joined from Norwegian second division side Sogndal IL after scoring 51 goals in 117 games over four and a half seasons
- The French-Moroccan tactician confirmed Pirates were looking for a striker with a different profile to their existing forwards
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Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has broken his silence on the reasoning behind the club's decision to sign Norwegian striker Sebastian Pedersen, describing the 27-year-old as a profile capable of improving the team's goal conversion rate.
Pedersen's arrival from Norwegian second division side Sogndal IL caught many observers off guard, given the relatively low-profile nature of the transfer.
However, his scoring record tells a compelling story: 51 goals and eight assists across 117 appearances for Sogndal and Moss FK over the past four and a half seasons. He had also made an impressive start to the current campaign, netting eight goals in 14 outings before making the move to South Africa.
**Ouaddou Explains the Scouting Logic**
Speaking on Tuesday, Ouaddou made clear that the signing was a deliberate and data-driven decision by the club's scouting department, with the aim of addressing a specific gap in the squad's attacking output.
"The scouting department of the club I think was looking for a profile that can help us increase the average of conversion," Ouaddou said. "I know last season, we were the team in the continent who had the best average of chances [created], and we have some good players with us."
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The Pirates coach stressed that Pedersen brings qualities that differ from those of current strikers Yanela Mbuthuma, Boitumelo Radiopane and Evidence Makgopa. "As you have seen last season, we needed this finisher, this profile who can finish the actions," he added.
Ouaddou also spoke about the importance of easing Pedersen into the group environment, noting that natural talent alone does not guarantee a smooth transition to a new club.
**Integration Camp in Spain**
To help Pedersen settle, the club has taken him to Spain for a short training stint.
"It's why it's very important for us to have him with us for a couple of days in Spain trying to integrate him, because as you know you can be a good player, but when you come into a new environment, we have to make it easy for him and to integrate him in our collective," Ouaddou explained.
The signing reflects Pirates' ambition to sharpen their clinical edge after dominating chance creation on the continent last season without consistently converting those opportunities into goals.
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Source: Briefly News
