Orlando Pirates Legend Calls Out Abdeslam Ouaddou Over Latest Exit Threat
- Former Orlando Pirates captain Lucky Lekgwathi reacted to Abdeslam Ouaddou's latest threat to walk away from the club
- Ouaddou warned he would 'pack my luggage' after Pirates lost intensity during their CAF Champions League win over La Cure Waves
- Lekgwathi urged Ouaddou to embrace Pirates' showboating culture but advised him to choose his words more carefully in public
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Former Orlando Pirates captain Lucky Lekgwathi has described Abdeslam Ouaddou's latest public threat to leave the club as "unsettling", acknowledging that comments of that nature will naturally unsettle the team's supporters.
Ouaddou reignited speculation about his future at the Buccaneers following their CAF Champions League win over La Cure Waves on Saturday. Despite the victory, the Moroccan coach expressed dissatisfaction with his players' drop in intensity once they had taken control of the match, warning that he would "pack my luggage" if they continued showboating at inopportune moments.
**Not the First Time Ouaddou Has Hinted at an Exit**
This is not the first occasion on which Ouaddou has publicly raised the prospect of walking away from Mayfair. After leading Pirates to the Betway Premiership title last season, he admitted feeling exhausted and said he needed time to weigh up his future. He also disclosed that he had tendered his resignation following back-to-back defeats at the start of the current league campaign, only for the club's management to persuade him to remain in his post.
Speaking exclusively to IOL Sport, Lekgwathi — who skippered Pirates during one of the most decorated chapters in the club's history — acknowledged that Ouaddou's latest remarks would concern supporters, while also drawing on his own experience as a leader.
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"As a fan of the club, I don't like to see that obviously, it's unsettling but we are all human with emotions. I used to say things as captain and later regret them and that's a part of learning leadership and I hope he really learns to know what not to say in the media and in the changeroom," Lekgwathi said.
**Lekgwathi Backs Ouaddou But Urges Tactical Patience on Showboating**
Despite his reservations, Lekgwathi was clear that the Pirates faithful remain firmly behind their coach.
"Just like every fan, we are backing him and we know he'll help the team win again," he said.
On the specific question of showboating, Lekgwathi offered nuanced advice rather than outright opposition to the practice. He argued that flair is deeply embedded in Pirates' identity and should be preserved, though players need to read the game before attempting it.
"My advice to him about showboating would be for him to embrace it because it's a part of us but also it's important to look at the time and the score when players decide to do that because it used to help us in moments, whether to switch momentum of the game or ease pressure off us," Lekgwathi said.
Ouaddou's frustration appears rooted in a belief that certain players are prioritising entertainment over the discipline required to close out matches at the highest level of continental football.
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Source: Briefly News
