Bucs soldier on without eight players on national duty

Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou doesn’t think the fact that eight of his players will be away on national duty during the ongoing Fifa international break will disrupt the team’s preparations ahead of the MTN8 final against Stellenbosch at Mbombela Stadium on September 13.

No Stellies players have been called up, and they will have two full weeks to prepare for the final, while the Buccaneers will be without several key players – seven with Bafana Bafana and one in the Namibia national team.

Ouaddou said Bucs will have to find a balance with the remaining players in the team, and hopes those going with their national teams will return with momentum.

“We are Orlando Pirates, a huge club, and of course with some international players, and I’m happy for them. It’s the life of the big clubs and we have to deal with that and manage that,” Ouaddou told the media after their 3-0 win over Chippa United at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Sunday.

“I hope they will give the best for their country, it is very important. A few years ago, I was an international player, and I know how important it is to play for your country.”

Oswin Appollis, Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Sipho Chaine, Relebohile Mofokeng, Kamogelo Sebelebele, Thalente Mbatha and Patrick Maswanganyi are in the Bafana Bafana camp ahead of the Fifa World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Nigeria, while Deon Hotto joined his national team, Namibia.

“Let’s be happy for the boys and congratulate them,” Ouaddou said. “I’m proud of them and hope they will go with confidence to the national team and return after the Fifa break with a lot of ambition.”

Bucs’ win against Chippa, courtesy of goals from Maswanganyi, Hotto and Tshepang Moremi, saw the Buccaneers move to fifth on the log table.

Ouaddou, however, was not pleased that they missed several scoring chances and has urged his players to “kill off” games when they have the opportunity.

“I want to be pragmatic. There are some games where you have to kill matches. If you have to score four or five goals, you have to do that because all this will be very important at the end,” he said.

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