Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has insisted that preparing for the MTN8 final without most of his key players for the better part of this week wasn't a big deal, saying “the main part of the job” for this decider had already been done.
Pirates, who have won the last three editions of the MTN8, face last season's finalist Stellenbosch at Mbombela Stadium on Saturday (6pm).
The Sea Robbers had to start preparations for their Wafa Wafa final without eight of their key stars in Sipho Chaine, Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Thalente Mbatha, Kamogelo Sebelebele, Sipho Mbule, Oswin Appollis and Relebohile Mofokeng, who were part of the Bafana Bafana squad that did duty in two CAF World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Nigeria last Friday and on Tuesday.
Namibian Deon Hotto is also away with his national side, who faced Malawi and São Tomé and Príncipe in their own World Cup qualifiers during the recent Fifa window.
Even so, Ouaddou, who was in charge of the training session while wearing an arm sling after being involved in a road accident two weeks ago, explained why the absence of these players wasn't really affecting their preparations.
“I think it doesn't affect our work...it's part and parcel of being a big club. Pirates are a big club. We have internationals and we have to deal with that. The main part of the job has been done...we have already taught these players principles,'' Ouaddou said during a presser after training at Rand Stadium on Tuesday.
“Of course, we keep in touch with them through many ways, in order to keep them aware about the final. So, they are very close to us even when they are in the national team. We are also able to work very hard with the players that are here.
"We're preparing well. Everybody is focused on that event [the final]. The club issued a statement about the accident and now I don't think this is the right place to speak about that...I only want to focus on the game on Saturday,'' Ouaddou stated.
On August 31, a day after their 3-0 league thumping of Chippa United at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Ouaddou and five other Pirates technical team members were involved in a road accident on the R21 highway near the OR Tambo International Airport, while helping people from other vehicles involved in a crash.
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