Pirates Face Backlash Over Treatment of Their Prolific Striker

Former Orlando Pirates midfielder Sifiso Myeni has called on the club to give striker Sebastian Pedersen more playing time. He has questioned why the Norwegian has been used so little since joining the Soweto giants.

Pedersen, 27, signed from Norwegian club Sogndal in the off-season on a two-year contract. He has struggled to win regular minutes under head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou, and that has left some supporters wondering what part he is meant to play in the team’s attack. Before coming to South Africa, he reportedly scored 51 goals in 117 appearances for Sogndal. That record suggested he could be another dependable goalscorer for Pirates as they compete at home and in continental competitions.

Speaking on Omni Audio Africa, Myeni said Pedersen deserves the same chances as the club’s other forwards, including Evidence Makgopa, Boitumelo Radiopane and Yanela Mbuthuma. In his view, the striker should be given a fair opportunity to show what he can do before anyone judges him. He believes more minutes would let the coaching staff and the fans see whether Pedersen can make a real contribution.

Pirates have plenty of attacking options, so the battle for places is tough. Even so, Myeni’s comments have added to the debate over whether the club is making the best use of the players it has.

Ouaddou has said before that Pedersen needs time to improve his fitness and settle in. Moving to a new country and a new league is not easy, especially when a player has to learn a different style of play and build understanding with his teammates. Still, regular game time could help Pedersen grow in confidence and find his place in the squad.

For now, it is not clear whether Ouaddou will give him more involvement in the coming matches as Pirates continue their season. Do you agree with Myeni? Should Pirates give Pedersen more playing time?

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