Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou’s exuberant celebrations at the end of Saturday’s 2-1 derby triumph over Kaizer Chiefs came with a sense of relief, given the pressure going into the game.
Ouaddou sank to his knees at the final whistle, pumping his fists and screaming out as Pirates moved to the top of the Betway Premiership standings, even if only for a few hours.
“It’s not easy to do this job, especially at a big club like Pirates,” explained Ouaddou, who also danced with celebrating fans after the final whistle.
“I’m driven by excellence and always want to push my players to be better. “Sometimes on the touchline you see the emotions of somebody who really wants to win.
“For some players, those emotions can push them to perform at their best. For others, who might not be as strong mentally, seeing the coach react like that can surprise them.
“But football at the highest level involves a lot of emotion and pressure, and we all have to learn to manage that,” he told the post-match press conference
Ouaddou admitted he got his tactics wrong in the first half of the clash at Soccer City, but praised his players for their response after the break.
“It was an intense game. I got it wrong in the first half. I tried to surprise the opposition with some tactical choices that were not spot on.
“I put the team in trouble and it could have cost us the game. Chiefs could easily have gone into halftime 3-1 ahead, but they didn’t take their chances,” he added.
“We made some tactical adjustments at halftime, changed some players and put them in the right positions. I think in the second half we were spot on. I’m very proud of the boys because it’s not easy to win a derby, especially with one of the youngest teams in the PSL. We lost the MTN8 final, and I know our fans were very disappointed. This victory is a gift to them.” Ouaddou said.