OM: Habib Beye sets his top priority for the players — and more

Habib Beye has defined his main focus with his OM squad

OM: Habib Beye sets his top priority for the players

Officially appointed to the OM bench just over a week ago, Habib Beye has already taken his squad to Marbella this week.

According to L'Equipe on Friday, the Senegalese manager wasted no time in setting a clear priority for his players. Unsurprisingly, it all comes down to intensity.

"The word that kept coming up, right after the loss to Brest and throughout the training camp, was intensity. Habib is presenting them with a style of play that demands more energy, with transitions that need to be much quicker. It’s only natural that he wants his players to first improve their physical condition," confirmed someone close to the Olympian group.

Habib Beye has also held multiple one-on-one talks with his squad to gauge the mindset of each player and, above all, to restore confidence within the dressing room.

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Pirates boosted for derby

Photo: Orlando Pirates @ Facebook

Orlando Pirates have received a massive injury boost as two key figures will be available for selection against Kaizer Chiefs in the Soweto derby at FNB Stadium on Saturday.

The Buccaneers will be eager to return to winning ways and keep their title hopes alive after suffering a defeat to defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns in their last league outing.

Pirates are level on 38 points with the table-topping Masandawana, while Chiefs sit fourth with 30 points picked up from 16 games following a loss against Stellenbosch FC on Tuesday.

With the much-awaited spectacle on the horizon, Bucs mentor Abdeslam Ouaddou confirmed striker Evidence Makgopa and midfielder Thalente Mbatha, have returned from their respective injuries.

“About Makgopa, he's been out for nearly three weeks but we are very happy, the group is very happy to welcome him back. He's back in training and he's feeling very well, so it's one more player to add in our group,” he said.

"And Mbatha as well, I'm very happy that he's joined the group because there's a lot of questions around him but he was injured as well and I'm happy to have him as well in the group.

Pirates have completed back-to-back league doubles over Chiefs in the previous two campaigns, with Amakhosi's last league win dating back to February 2023.

Arne Slot has hailed Alisson as ‘outstanding’ after the goalkeeper’s run of clean sheets for Liverpool.

Liverpool have recorded three consecutive clean sheets in all competitions, as the Reds have racked up five wins from their last six games.

Slot’s side weathered a storm at Nottingham Forest last weekend to claim a late 1-0 win, an important result in their bid for Champions League qualification.

Speaking ahead of facing West Ham in the Premier League this weekend, Slot was full of praise for Alisson. The Brazilian has bounced back from a costly error against Manchester City earlier this month, when the goalkeeper conceded a late penalty at Anfield.

“In an ideal world you don’t need your goalkeeper because you defend so well. But the important thing for us is if we do, we have an outstanding one,” Slot said at his pre-game press conference.

“He has been here seven years now and also we not only have one good keeper, we also have Giorgi Mamardashvili too, another who could be the number one.

“Before he was there, we had Caoimhin Kelleher but Alisson has always been the number one and that tells you how good he is if he can keep Mamardashvili and Kelleher behind him.”

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Villa and Forest will also learn their potential route to the Europa League final while Crystal Palace will discover their Conference League fate