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IOL News
20 hours ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Orlando Pirates' coach Abdeslam Ouaddou fails to impress in MTN8 semi-final
ORLANDO STADIUM - FOR A COACH under pressure to convince that he is the right man for one of the country's toughest jobs, Abdeslam Ouaddou failed dismally in a match perfectly suited for him to win The Ghost over. Beaten in the opening two matches of the Betway Premiership matches, the Moroccan needed to produce a result to silence those already claiming he is not good enough for the job of leading Orlando Pirates. The 1-1 draw with Mamelodi Sundowns in Saturday's MTN8 semi-final first leg might have got the Buccaneers faithful gleefully singing as they left the arena. But what Kamogelo Sebelebele's late equalizer did was essentially paper over the cracks laid bare throughout this match. Ouaddou is not the inspirational leader a team like Pirates need if they are to not only seriously challenge Sundowns for the champions but also beat them into adding a second star above the club's crest by winning the CAF Champions League. The draw was achieved in spite of him and not because of him. For the entire match, the 46-year-old was more a dispassionate observer than a conductor of his team's play. Appearances might just be for aesthetics, but sometimes they matter and even send a message. The one Ouaddou sent Saturday seemed to scream 'this job's too big for me' his oversized clothes – from his puffer jacket and pants down to the shoes – giving him the appearance of an old man who should rather have been at a farm than on the sidelines of a professional football pitch. As if that was not enough, his demeanour and mannerisms in the technical area cried 'I'd rather be somewhere else'. Naturally tall, the clothes gave him a languid appearance and he did not help matters by pacing about like an old man, his hands either locked behind his back or folded and even worse sometimes deep in the pockets. Coaches are renowned for living every moment of their team's matches, cajoling their players, encouraging them and even berating them for poor decisions. Damn it they are known to even harass referees. Not so Ouaddou. He was pitch side, but he appeared to be somewhere else, pretty absent from the action. And it was not surprising that his assistant Mandla Ncikazi – previously never one to stand up much – got actively involved with the coaching and continuously went to Ouaddou to whisper what was clearly advice as to what the team should be doing. Incidents that would have had many coaches jumping up and down either with joy or anger hardly moved him, Ouaddou even remaining static when Evidence Makgopa's shot bounced off the woodwork – his hands seemingly glued inside his pockets. Comparisons in the game of football are commonplace and it is impossible not to wonder just what impact he would make compared to that of his predecessor Jose Riveiro who was loved by the fans and one who played a kind of father figure role to the players. The Spaniard lived every minute of each match with the team, that trademark position he used to take on the edge of the technical area deep into matches now immortalized at the Buccaneers. Ouaddou, is of course, different and it would be a bit unfair to expect him to be anything like Riveiro. But he is going to have to give some indication that he is part of the team; that he is involved in the match; that he is interested in what is happening with his team. On the strength, some would say weakness, of how he carried himself against Sundowns on Saturday – Abdeslam Ouaddou does not inspire confidence that he has the qualities to lead Orlando Pirates, not only coach them but to glory. And someone at Pirates please get him dressing up as immaculately as he did when he was still at Marumo gallants. Those oversized clothes just don't match the Buccaneers' recently acquired status as style kings of the Premier Soccer League (PSL).
IOL News
24-06-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Ouaddou a gamble when continuity should have been preferred at Orlando Pirates
Abdeslam Ouaddou's appointment as head coach Orlando Pirates is a maissive gamble, especially with the club on the up in recent seasons. Photo: Backpagepix Image: Backpagepix Orlando Pirates have once again taken a bold and unconventional route in appointing Moroccan-born Abdeslam Ouaddou as their new head coach — a move that has sparked more questions than answers for The Ghost. While Ouaddou boasts an impressive playing résumé — having turned out for clubs in the English Premier League and represented Morocco at international level — his coaching credentials are far less convincing. He arrives at the Bucs with minimal South African top-flight experience and a modest coaching stint at relegation-threatened Marumo Gallants last season. Yet, this is not unfamiliar territory for the Buccaneers' hierarchy. In 2022, the appointment of José Riveiro raised similar eyebrows. At the time, critics dismissed the Spaniard as a 'plumber,' and rival fans ridiculed his unknown status. 🚨𝐂𝐋𝐔𝐁 𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐒🚨 Orlando Pirates Football Club is pleased to announce the appointment of Abdeslam Ouaddou as Head Coach. Read More : 𝐁𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞 𝐀𝐛𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐦 ! ⚫⚪🔴⭐#OrlandoPirates#OnceAlways — Orlando Pirates (@orlandopirates) June 23, 2025 Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Riveiro would, however, would go on to defy the odds, guiding Pirates to five trophies in just three seasons and re-establishing the Soweto giants as one of the most dangerous outfits in the country, before departing for Egyptian giants Al Ahly. That precedent may have informed the club's thinking — but this latest move feels like a far riskier proposition. Unlike Riveiro, who came from structured European football environments, Ouaddou's only experience on South African soil was with a Gallants side he helped survive relegation. That, in itself, was commendable. But Pirates are not Gallants. This is a club with far greater ambition — a team that has spent the last three years building toward dethroning Mamelodi Sundowns, who recently claimed their eighth successive league title. Pirates also reached the semi-finals of the CAF Champions League last season — their first in a decade — and once again finished second in the Betway Premiership. There was a clear upward trajectory under Riveiro. The expectation was that the next appointment would build on that momentum, not reset it. Surely, the club might have been better off securing a coach with domestic title-winning experience, deep knowledge of African club football, and ideally, someone familiar with the high expectations of Pirates' culture. Still, the club remains adamant that Ouaddou fits the long-term vision. Speaking on Radio 2000 this past week, the club's media officer Thandi Merafe offered insight into the decision. 'Pirates have a very keen eye and an amazing ability to unearth talent and people that are perfect for the brand,' she said. 'I think the one match where we played against him (at Gallants), you can see the behaviour of the coach when he's under pressure — the attitude and the professionalism. I urge all the genuine Orlando Pirates fans to remember why they began to support the club. The club is bigger than individuals. Let's rally behind Abdeslam Ouaddou the same way we supported Jose Riveiro when he was called a plumber. Rival fans will attack him. He only has us ☠️ — His Excellency (@eemz_em) June 23, 2025
Tom's Guide
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
5 top new movies to stream this week on HBO Max, Disney Plus, Hulu and more (May 27-June 2)
This week sees plenty of new movies arriving across the best streaming services. The major players like Netflix and Prime Video are sitting out the next seven days, but their rivals are picking up the slack with HBO Max, Disney Plus, Hulu and Peacock offering new flicks for subscribers to enjoy. There's no contest when it comes to picking my personal highlight this week: HBO Max's 'Mountainhead' has all my attention. This sharp comedy-drama comes from 'Succession' creator Jesse Armstrong, and the trailer presents a similar tone to his award-winning black comedy series. Other noteworthy newcomers include the Disney Plus debut of 'Captain America: Brave New World' and family flick 'Dog Man' on Peacock. Here's a guide to the most noteworthy new additions across streaming platforms this week, and if you want to watch some TV instead, we have a rundown of the top new TV shows you can stream this week as well. Josh Hartnett stars in this sky-high action comedy that appears to take pretty clear cues from 'Bullet Train.' That's not a bad source of inspiration and Tom's Guide's own Martin Shore labeled it 'the wildest movie I've seen in 2025' and also called it 'an absolute riot.' This glowing write-up has definitely convinced me to add it to my watchlist this week. In 'Fight or Flight,' Hartnett plays a skilled mercenary who boards an international flight bound for San Francisco. But he's not on this plane to watch movies and eat questionable food, he's been tasked with identifying an elusive hacker known as 'The Ghost.' Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. The job gets even trickier when it becomes clear the plane is filled with assassins, and these contract killers have both 'The Ghost' and Hartnett's Lucas Reyes in their crosshairs, forcing an uneasy alliance. Buy or rent on Amazon from May 27 'The Seed of the Sacred Fig' is one of the best movies of last year you (probably) didn't see. It's a gripping political thriller that competed for the prestigious Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and won the Special Jury Prize. The work of writer/director Mohammed Rasoulof, the twisting narrative unfolds with almost unbearable tension, and the performances are electric. The movie centers on Iman (Missagh Zareh), a judge in the Revolutionary Court in Tehran, who struggles with increasing paranoia as the Iranian city falls into a state of political unrest following the death of a young woman. As the outside situation deteriorates, things within Iman's home also take a turn when a handgun given to him for protection by the government goes missing. He suspects that his wife and daughter may have taken it, and things only go south from there. Watch on Hulu from May 27 The fourth Captain America solo movie sees the superhero mantle passed over to Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) following the events of the Disney Plus series 'The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.' So long, Steve Rogers. While 'Captain America: Brave New World' is far from a truly vintage entry in the long-running Marvel Cinematic Universe, it's a step up from some of the franchise's recent duds. It's a mostly enjoyable blockbuster, even if it feels extremely routine after 30+ MCU movies. In this new world full of sinister threats originating from Earth and beyond, Sam is still finding his footing now that he's taken up the Captain America role. But he's forced to learn on the job as he's drawn into a major international incident when freshly elected U.S. president Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) is targeted in a mysterious assassination attempt. Watch on Disney Plus from May 28 The whimsical 'Dog Man' series by Dav Pilkey is a childhood staple for millions, so it's no surprise the canine police officer's first big-screen outing has been warmly embraced by viewers of all ages. Packing a charming but very silly story and vibrant animation courtesy of Dreamworks, it's got all the ingredients to be a firm family favorite, and this week it arrives on Peacock. Based on a graphic novel series, it sees a police officer and his faithful pooch fused together after an explosive injury (don't worry, it's less grisly than it sounds). Reborn as Dog Man, the human-dog hybrid must embrace his new identity while also stopping a feline supervillain, Petey the Cat, from unleashing chaos on Ohkay City. The movie includes the voice talents of Peter Hastings, Pete Davidson, Isla Fisher, Lil Rel Howery and Ricky Gervais. Watch on Peacock from May 30 I'm a 'Succession' superfan, so it's probably no surprise that 'Mountainhead' on HBO Max is my most anticipated new movie of the week. This satirical comedy-drama comes from Jesse Armstrong, the creator of the award-winning HBO show, and the man behind the excellent British comedy 'Peep Show.' Armstrong knows how to write biting dialogue and craft memorable and compelling characters, even if they're also often unlikable. 'Mountainhead' is a confined movie that sees a group of wealthy tech billionaires (Steven Carell, Jason Schwartzman, Cory Michael Smith and Ramy Youssef) meet in a plush mountainside lodge where an international crisis unfolds around them. Based on the trailer, it looks packed with snappy exchanges that scream vintage Jesse Armstrong. In many ways, it appears to be something of a spiritual sequel to 'Succession.' Consider me fully sold. Watch on HBO Max from May 31
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Fight or Flight' review: Josh Hartnett delivers in spirited espionage comedy
All products featured here are independently selected by our editors and writers. If you buy something through links on our site, Mashable may earn an affiliate commission. Forget James Bond, Jason Bourne, or Ethan Hunt. The secret agent at the heart of the Josh Hartnett-fronted Fight or Flight has more in common with Austin Powers or Brad Pitt's put-upon mercenary from Bullet Train, as he is highly skilled, hilariously eccentric, and nowhere near as suave as he thinks he is. Directed by James Madigan and written by Brooks McLaren (How It Ends) and D.J. Cotrona, Fight or Flight brings spiky fun to its espionage thriller framework by filling a fancy plane with contract killers, each brandishing their own set of skills, specialty weapons, and aesthetic quirks. With the madcap energy of Snakes on a Plane, Fight or Flight centers on one world-weary man-of-action who wants no part of the mayhem, but must master it to survive. SEE ALSO: Summer Movie Preview: What's coming to theaters and streaming? The resulting melee is outrageous, fun, and surprising, yet it is mostly confined to a cramped, sky-high cabin. Charithra Chandran as Isha in "Fight or Flight." Credit: Vertical Disgraced and disavowed, former American operative Lucas Reyes (Hartnett) has been living in hiding, and he's worse for wear. Introduced as scruffy, bedraggled, and day-drunk, he looks like he can barely handle his shift on a pedicab, much less sweep in to covertly recover a top-secret asset from an international flight. But when former colleague Katherine Brunt (an icy Katee Sackhoff) calls with a mission that could redeem him, how can he say no? Katherine needs Lucas to find "The Ghost," a "black hat terrorist" who's been suspected of destabilizing governments through corporate intrusion. This mysterious figure is on the run after an explosive collision with U.S. ops. And the closest agent they have to The Ghost's escape route is the down-and-out Lucas, so he's sent in to snag The Ghost alive. There are just a few problems. For one, no one knows what The Ghost looks like. So even a well-meaning flight attendant like Isha (Bridgerton's Charithra Chandran) is at a loss as to how to help. And two, Lucas isn't the only hired gun hunting this notorious Ghost. So, he'll not only have to capture his target, but also keep The Ghost alive as a fleet of assassins reveal themselves. Credit: Vertical Where Lucas may once have been a smooth operator in the field, he's become a messy drunkard who has no interest in doing this wet work sober. Champagne, whiskey, frog venom — you put it in front of Lucas, he'll give it a go. And this means his fighting style has a goofy looseness, whether he's going hand-to-hand in a spacious first-class bathroom, facing off against a cat-eyed killer (Nóra Trokán) in the aisles, or in full-on battle mode, using improvised tools and other passengers as weapons. SEE ALSO: How to watch 'Black Bag' right now: The sexy spy thriller comes to streaming With the help of a crack stunt team, Hartnett tackles most of these stunts himself. This means his face is front and center during much of the chaotic action, allowing him to mug in comic dismay, rage, or surprise for the camera. And as was hinted in Trap, Hartnett has a terrifically twisted sense of humor. Here it runs free as Lucas bumbles from one comically bloody confrontation to another and into a drug trip that turns reality into rainbows and fireworks, while his reality is much more fountains of gore. Surrounding his discombobulated hero are a cavalcade of killers who have little time to develop character. Instead, odd bits of business like dancing, details like facial tattoos or strange contact lenses, or costumes of martial artist robes signify a wider world of distinctive operatives. Fight or Flight doesn't have the time or inclination to get as into its world-building as the John Wick franchise or even Bullet Train, as most of the foes Lucas faces will be ejected from the plot after their first fight with him. Still, the supporting cast has a collective verve that suits Hartnett's chaotic energy, allowing the flow to be fast, furious, and entertaining. Katee Sackhoff and Julian Kostov play U.S. agents in "Fight or Flight." Credit: Vertical When on the plane, Fight or Flight delivers claustrophobic thrills, serving up exciting action built on sharp fight choreography and mindful use of every airplane in-flight element you could imagine. Biting banters — mostly between loopy Lucas and the annoyed Isha — keep the fun flying. Admittedly, Madigan struggles keeping the action on the ground — where Katherine delivers exposition with a snarling colleague (Julian Kostov) — as propulsive. But props to Sackoff, who brings intensity to everything, be it efficient plot point delivery or a hissed insult at a group of strangers meditating loudly in a public park. Beyond elevating such requisites of plot and genre, she smartly creates a foil to Lucas. Katherine, who is almost absurdly stern, is what Lucas might have been had he not flared out years back. That makes his bonkers attitude feel like a bit of a victory, a freedom from spy stuffiness that we get to enjoy vicariously — without the inevitable hangover. In the end, sure, Fight or Flight is not as richly built as Austin Powers movies or even Bullet Train, which got soap operatic in its characters and their connections. But it's deliriously fun, satisfying our craving for madcap mayhem, outrageous action, goofy gore, and Hartnett going ham. I mean, this is a movie where a disavowed spy fires up a chainsaw on an airplane in flight. Get on board, or be bored elsewhere. Fight or Flight opens in theaters May 9.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Where to Watch ‘Fight or Flight': Is Josh Hartnett's Gonzo Action Movie Streaming?
Coming straight off of his fearless, peerlessly playful performance in M. Night Shyamalan's 'Trap,' Josh Hartnett is carrying another wild and playful genre experiment with 'Fight or Flight.' Hartnett stars as an exiled American agent, Lucas Reyes, who gets a shot at redemption aboard a flight from Bangkok to San Francisco. All he has to do is track down and identify the 'mysterious, international high-value asset known as The Ghost.' Oh, and the plane is full of assassins trying to kill both of them. The film marks the feature debut of director James Madigan, who has an extensive background in visual effects, from 'The Da Vinci Code' to the 'Red' films, as well as second unit credits on films including 'The Meg' and 'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.' It's also a showcase for Hartnett, who threw himself into doing '100% of his stunts,' as Madigan recently told Jimmy Fallon. Along with Hartnett, the film stars Katee Sackhoff, Charithra Chandran and Julian Kostov. Here's where you can watch 'Fight or Flight' right now. The film lands on May 9, 2025. 'Fight or Flight' is headed exclusively into theaters nationwide for the time being. No streaming details have been confirmed for this one yet, but it's a Vertical picture and most of their recent releases have wound up on Hulu ('The Order,' 'The Damned,' 'Lee') or Max ('Your Monster,' 'Elevation'). The post Where to Watch 'Fight or Flight': Is Josh Hartnett's Gonzo Action Movie Streaming? appeared first on TheWrap.
