The head coach of Orlando Pirates, Abdelslam Waddu, believes that mental resilience could be the missing element in the Buccaneers' pursuit of the CAF Champions League title.
Despite the team securing a spot in the group stage with a 4-0 aggregate victory over African Stars, Waddu believes his young squad still needs to learn how to handle the pressure associated with representing one of South Africa's biggest clubs.
Pirates won against the Namibian team 3-0 in the second match, which took place on Friday at the Orlando Stadium Arena. However, the coach noted that the contrast between the team's performance in the first and second halves revealed an area needing attention.
Waddu pointed to the large number of new players in the squad and the emotional demands of playing for Pirates as factors that could affect results, especially in decisive continental matches.
He explained: 'In the PSL, I have one of the youngest teams. Today you saw about ten new players, and it is not easy to integrate them into a big club like Orlando Pirates. You can be a good player somewhere else, but when you come here, we have to manage a big factor of emotion because there is a lot of pressure.'
According to Waddu, technical skill alone will not be enough if Pirates want to compete with established African giants. The coach believes that helping players manage expectations and the intensity of major matches is as important as improving their football skills.
'Of course, I have good players, there is always room for progress, but what we really need to help them with is mentally. It is helping them understand how they can cope with pressure and such games. If you look at the differences between the first and second halves, it is the same players, but different play.'
These statements indicate that Waddu views the issue as a development task rather than a deficiency in ability. With a relatively young group and several new faces still adapting to the club, he wants his players to become more stable when the pressure increases.
The Pirates coach even joked that the club might require specialized support to develop this aspect of the game in the squad. He added: 'I hope I can help them as a coach, but perhaps we will need a sports psychologist to dig deeper, because I am not a psychologist.'
Pirates' qualification for the group stage gives them the opportunity to compare themselves with stronger continental rivals. This will also test whether the lessons Waddu wants his players to learn can translate into results against top African clubs.
For a team aiming to add a second CAF Champions League title to the one won in 1995, the coach is convinced that managing pressure could be as vital as on-field quality.