Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has praised Bafana Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane for recognising Yanela Mbuthuma’s quality following the forward’s return to the national team squad.

Mbuthuma has been rewarded for his recent form for the Buccaneers with a place in Mosimane’s Bafana squad in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The 24-year-old has been a key member of the Buccaneers squad this campaign and has scored two goals in 10 appearances across all competitions.

Ouaddou has urged the young forward to keep working hard and improving his finishing as he prepares to represent the national team in the AFCON qualifiers.

“I thank coach Pitso for noticing the quality of this boy. You know, if I notice that this boy has quality and coach Pitso notices as well that he has quality, I think that this boy has something. It’s a big answer for all those people who have believed in this boy.

“And it’s not because he’s in the national team that he is going to stop working. I will be behind him to push him, to be at his best and to continue to work specifically in the areas of finishing.

“Even me, as a coach, I am 47 years old. When you stop learning, it’s the end of your life. Everybody still has to learn. So, if I still have to learn, players in my team still have to work to be the best.”