Pirates’ Ouaddou Explains Tactical Switches Involving Mofokeng |

Relebohile Mofokeng during the Betway Premiership match between Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns. Photo: Alche Greeff/BackpagePix

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has praised the intelligence and versatility of star midfielder Relebohile Mofokeng, while admitting that constant positional changes may have unsettled the attacker during Wednesday evening’s clash against Mamelodi Sundowns at FNB Stadium.

Speaking to journalists during the post-match press conference, Ouaddou offered an in-depth tactical assessment of Mofokeng’s role in the team following the high-profile encounter.

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Ouaddou reiterated his admiration for Mofokeng’s qualities, highlighting the 21-year-old player’s football intelligence and adaptability in modern systems.

“I have already spoken about the qualities of Rele,” said the Pirates mentor. “He’s clever and can play two or three positions in modern football.”

Traditionally deployed in wide areas, Mofokeng has also been used as a central attacking midfielder – the number 10 role – a position Ouaddou believes maximises his effectiveness.

“Rele is used to playing out wide, and we have used him in many games as a 10. I believe that when he plays as a 10, he has a total scan of the possibilities,” Ouaddou explained.

The coach broke down his tactical reasoning in clear terms: “In my point of view, as a coach, he is very efficient when he plays as a 10. Why? Because he has 360 degrees of possibilities to play. When we put him on the side, he has only 160 degrees of possibilities to play because there is the touchline.”

According to Ouaddou, the central role allows Mofokeng greater spatial awareness and creative freedom, enabling him to influence play in all directions rather than being limited by the boundary line.

However, the coach emphasised that individual positioning must always align with broader team management.

“We have to manage the team. We have players as well, the impact players on the bench,” he said. “Sometimes you make some combination.”

Ouaddou acknowledged that against Sundowns, Mofokeng was moved around frequently in an effort to create tactical advantages.

“I know that today we moved him a lot. Sometimes in a game, when a player starts to settle in one position and he feels comfortable, and you change him one or two times, sometimes it can destabilise him. I agree with you about that.”

The admission reflects a coach mindful of both tactical flexibility and player stability.

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While Ouaddou supports positional fluidity, even allowing Mofokeng to interchange with teammates such as Oswin Appollis to surprise opponents, he conceded that Wednesday’s adjustments may have gone too far during the 2-1 loss to the defending champions.

“Maybe we have to think and to stabilise him at least in one position during one game,” he said. “Even though I allowed him, when he played with Appollis, to swap and to create some surprise for the opponent. But today I think that we changed him many times inside and it can destabilise him a little bit,” said the French-Moroccan tactician. 

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