Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has dismissed speculation about a possible disagreement with assistant coach Mandla Ncikazi, insisting that the atmosphere within the club remains positive.

Speaking during the club’s media day on Thursday, the French-Moroccan coach expressed frustration with reports suggesting that tensions between the two coaches could lead to Ncikazi’s departure.

Earlier this week, claims emerged that Ncikazi was preparing to leave the Buccaneers, with some reports alleging that Ouaddou had demanded his release or threatened to resign. The speculation intensified following Ncikazi’s absence from recent matches.

However, Ouaddou referred to the club’s official communication, which confirmed that his assistant had undergone knee surgery and was recovering at home in KwaZulu-Natal.

“The club issued a statement about that, he had surgery, so now he’s recovering, I wish him all the best, that’s all I can say,” Ouaddou said.

The Pirates coach also criticised what he viewed as attempts to create unnecessary controversy around the club, maintaining that there was no problem within the technical team.

He further pointed to a recent affectionate interaction between himself and Ncikazi as evidence against the rumours.

Ouaddou stressed that his priority remains preparing the team for upcoming fixtures rather than responding to unconfirmed reports.

With Pirates continuing their campaign, the coach hopes attention will return to performances on the pitch while Ncikazi focuses on recovering from surgery.

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