Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has praised Kabelo Dlamini’s commitment as the midfielder continues his recovery from a lengthy injury lay-off.
Dlamini has returned to full training after being sidelined since November 2025, raising hopes that the 30-year-old could soon provide Pirates with another creative option.
The midfielder has made 187 appearances for the Buccaneers, scoring 21 goals and registering 23 assists. His return could be particularly valuable following the departures of Relebohile Mofokeng and Patrick Maswanganyi.
Ouaddou has been impressed by Dlamini’s attitude during his rehabilitation and training programme.
“Dlamini is doing a great effort every day to come back and to be available for the team, I appreciate the spirit he is showing in training every day,” Ouaddou told iDiski Times.
The Pirates coach highlighted Dlamini’s creativity, quick decision-making and ability to identify passing opportunities in tight areas.
“He’s important, so much creativity, can find passes not everyone can find in small spaces, quick decision-making, and in this area of the game we need players who can take decisions before receiving the ball,” he said.
Ouaddou also used Zinedine Zidane as a reference when describing Dlamini’s ability to anticipate situations before receiving possession, while stressing that he was not comparing the two players physically.
“I don’t want to compare him to Zinedine Zidane, not a quick player, but he knew what he wanted before receiving the ball,” Ouaddou added.
Despite his return to full training, Dlamini is not expected to feature when Pirates take on La Cure Waves on Saturday as the club continues to carefully manage his return to competitive football.
His comeback could nevertheless provide a significant boost to Ouaddou’s squad. With Pirates competing domestically and in the CAF Champions League, the availability of an experienced player capable of creating and scoring goals would give the coach another attacking dimension.
After several months away from action, Dlamini will now be focused on completing the final stages of his recovery before making his return to competitive football.
