Orlando Pirates legend Benedict “Tso” Vilakazi has come out hard on the club’s Norwegian striker Sebastian Pedersen, better known as Baby Haaland. He says the Buccaneers wasted their money on the signing.

Vilakazi did not hold back. The former midfielder said Pedersen is not worth what the club paid for him because he is simply not getting game time. Coach Abdeslam Ouaddou keeps picking other strikers ahead of him week after week.

“Pirates wasted money on Pedersen. Bafethu, I am saying this based on what I see week in week out,” Vilakazi said.

He pointed to the players who are still starting. Yanela Mbuthuma, Evidence Makgopa and others continue to get the nod. Vilakazi asked a simple question: if Pedersen was any good, why is he sitting on the bench or missing from the match-day squad altogether?

He reminded fans that some of the local strikers have been in and out of the team. Radiopane once missed the squad but came straight back into the starting line-up the next game. Makgopa was injured, recovered and went straight back in. Through all of that, Pedersen has stayed out.

Vilakazi said the problem is bigger now that Orlando Pirates are in the group stages of the Champions League. The team has quality in other areas, but they still need a proper striker who can finish when the games get tight.

He gave credit to Mbuthuma for the good work he does in creating space for the wingers. He called that part brilliant. But he warned that this will not be enough when the box gets crowded and the team needs someone to take a chance, win a header or shoot from close range.

Vilakazi used the example of a striker who can still score even when a defender is right next to him. He said that is the type of player Pirates need at the moment. Right now, he does not believe they have that option in Pedersen.

Many Pirates supporters have been whispering the same thing for weeks. Now a club legend has said it out loud. With big matches still ahead, the pressure is on both the player and the coach to show that the money was not wasted.

Source: https://x.com/MDNnewss/status/2120811416143675450?a=DeoNNvPgf0JqFYEZFJo&s=19