Over the weekend, rumours surfaced that the former Moroccan international captain had bid farewell to the team and thanked fans following a PSL campaign that saw Gallants finish in 10th place, despite flirting with relegation earlier in the season.

Ouaddou took the reins on 1 March 2025 and made an immediate impact, leading the team to an impressive 2–0 victory over Orlando Pirates in his first match in charge.

Abdeslam Ouaddou. Photo: Morgan Piek

He went on to guide Gallants to the semi-finals of the Nedbank Cup, where they narrowly lost 1–0 to the then-defending champions, Pirates, at Orlando Stadium in Soweto.

The team ended their season on a high note, going seven games unbeaten. Despite the strong finish, they just missed out on a top-eight spot and a place in next season’s MTN8 competition.

When asked last weekend about Ouaddou’s status, the club denied he was leaving and insisted that he remained part of the team setup.

Sundra Govender. Morgan Piek

On Monday, Gallants released a statement clarifying the situation.

“Marumo Gallants Football Club wishes to clarify recent speculation concerning the status of head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou,” the statement read.

“The club can confirm that it has not received any formal communication or notice of resignation from Coach Ouaddou. In light of this, we will not be making any further comments on the unverified reports currently in circulation.

Dan Malesela. Photo: Morgan Piek

“We thank the media and our supporters for their understanding and will share any official developments as they become available.”

For now, the situation remains unclear. Should Ouaddou decide to leave, the club may want to consider Sundra Govender as a potential replacement. He had a solid stint as interim coach following the departure of veteran tactician Dan Malesela, before Ouaddou’s appointment.

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek cg