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Vilakazi Challenges Ouaddou on Squad Size as Pirates Face Tough Season
Orlando Pirates great Benedict Vilakazi has stepped into the debate around Abdeslam Ouaddou’s squad management, warning that the coach’s preference for a tight group could derail the club’s ambitions in a brutal season.
Pirates are chasing on all fronts. They’ve booked a place in the MTN8 final against Mamelodi Sundowns, they’re juggling the early stages of the CAF Champions League, and the domestic grind is only just beginning. The fixtures are stacking up. So are the injuries.
Vilakazi believes the warning signs are already there.
“It’s very wise to have a bigger squad,” he told FARPost. “Look at the injuries that they are having right now. I think [Makhehlene] Makhaula got injured; now we have [Thalente] Mbatha, who has a knee injury. We also have [Sihle] Nduli, who got hurt badly.”
For Vilakazi, that list isn’t bad luck. It’s a red flag.
Trophies everywhere, bodies under strain
Pirates’ season is loaded with opportunity. The Betway Premiership title race is tightening, the MTN8 final awaits, and the Carling Knockout and Nedbank Cup are still to come, alongside the unforgiving CAF Champions League.
So when Vilakazi calls for depth, he’s looking at the full picture.
“It’s very wise to have a bigger squad. Look at the injuries that they are having right now,” he repeated. “So, it’s going to be important to have a bigger squad, especially when you look at the trophies that are on the table for the team.
“You have the Betway Premiership, the MTN8, which they are in the final of now, the Carling [Knockout] that is coming in, the Nedbank Cup and the [CAF] Champions League.
“So, it’s very important to have a bigger squad so that you can rest other players. Maybe others will play in the Champions League, and others will play cup games.”
The message is clear: rotation isn’t a luxury this season, it’s survival.
Travel, fatigue and the African reality
The matches themselves are only half the battle. Vilakazi points to something that doesn’t show up on a fixture list: the travel.
Long-haul flights across the continent, late returns, disrupted recovery. That’s where, he insists, a bigger squad becomes non-negotiable.
“It’s important to have a bigger squad so that your players don’t get fatigued. Remember that we don’t look at playing. Also, travelling plays a part in fatigue.
“That is one thing a lot of people don’t think of. Travelling can also cause fatigue.”
He wants “fresh legs” ready to step straight in after a CAF trip, not a core group pushed to the edge week after week.
Ouaddou’s stance under the spotlight
All of this clashes directly with Ouaddou’s stated philosophy. The Pirates head coach has been open about wanting a “manageable” dressing room and has set his ideal numbers: 30 outfield players and four goalkeepers. Anything beyond that, he argues, harms chemistry and stunts individual development.
Vilakazi isn’t convinced that model fits a season like this.
With the Betway Premiership heating up and a final against Sundowns on the horizon, the margin for error shrinks with every game. One more injury in a key area, one more fatigued performance after a draining away trip, and the entire campaign can tilt.
That’s why the former midfielder believes the club must widen its options.
“So that’s where you need a [big] pool of players, so that those who went to CAF come two days before the other game, and at least you can add one or two to the team that is there and carry on with the team,” he concluded.
The trophies are there to be chased. The question now is whether Pirates will trust a lean squad to go the distance, or bend to the demands of a season that rarely forgives those who run short of legs.
