Vilakazi Urges Pirates to Expand Squad for Upcoming Challenges
Orlando Pirates great Benedict Vilakazi has thrown down a clear challenge to head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou: expand the squad, or risk running out of legs when it matters most.
With the Soweto giants staring at a brutal stretch of fixtures across four domestic competitions and the CAF Champions League, Vilakazi believes the current group is simply too light for the demands ahead.
“It’s very wise to have a bigger squad,” he told FARPost, pointing straight to the growing casualty list. “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.”
Cups, titles, and a continent to conquer
Pirates are deep in the thick of it. They’ve booked their place in the MTN8 final against Mamelodi Sundowns, while also juggling the preliminary rounds of the CAF Champions League. On top of that sits the Betway Premiership grind, the looming Carling Knockout, and the Nedbank Cup still to come.
For Vilakazi, that picture alone ends the debate.
“It’s very wise to have a bigger squad. Look at the injuries that they are having right now,” he repeated, underlining the point. “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.”
In Vilakazi’s view, rotation is not a luxury for Pirates this season. It’s survival.
Travel, fatigue and “fresh legs”
The former midfielder’s concern goes beyond minutes on the pitch. He points to the unseen drain that comes with African football: airports, time zones, and long-haul journeys into the continent.
“It’s important to have a bigger squad so that your players don’t get fatigued,” he said. “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.”
Those words will resonate with anyone who has watched South African clubs stumble in the league after gruelling away trips in the CAF Champions League. The legs go first. Then the results.
Vilakazi insists that “fresh legs” must be ready to step straight in once the team returns from continental duty, especially when domestic fixtures come thick and fast.
Ouaddou’s tight circle vs Vilakazi’s big pool
All of this comes as Abdeslam Ouaddou publicly defends his own philosophy. The Pirates coach prefers a tighter, more controlled environment and has been clear about the numbers he wants: 30 outfield players and four goalkeepers.
For him, anything beyond that risks diluting team chemistry and stalling individual development.
Vilakazi sees the game differently. With the Betway Premiership title race sharpening and a final against Sundowns on the horizon, he believes the stakes leave little room for idealism.
“So that’s where you need a [big] pool of players,” he argued, “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.”
The message is blunt. Pirates can choose a compact squad or a sustained assault on every trophy in front of them. This season may reveal whether Ouaddou’s preferred numbers can carry the weight of a club chasing glory on every front.
