Pitso Mosimane Sends Strong Message To Orlando Pirates Over Oswin Appollis With Bold Fatigue Statement

Bafana Bafana head coach Pitso Mosimane has made his position clear regarding Oswin Appollis' reduced playing time at Orlando Pirates, insisting that concerns about the winger's workload will not dictate his national team selection decisions.

The outspoken coach was responding to questions about Appollis, who has recently struggled to secure regular starts under Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou.

The situation has attracted attention because Appollis remains one of the most talented attacking players in South African football. However, Ouaddou has explained that the club is deliberately managing his workload after a demanding period that included a successful campaign with Pirates and representing South Africa at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Moroccan coach has described the winger as a valuable asset, insisting that he is not a robot and needs sufficient recovery time to maintain his best performances throughout a demanding season.

Mosimane, however, believes international football presents a different situation because Bafana Bafana do not play as frequently as club teams.

Speaking ahead of South Africa's 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Kenya, Mosimane made it clear that his responsibility is to select the best available players for the country.

"We play once, right? So fatigue is not for me to manage it. Right? For me it's to choose the best player who's around and who is available, okay?" Mosimane said.

He further explained that he would not allow outside opinions or club-level selection decisions to influence his thinking.

"So I don't over-train my team. I just say who's available and is good for the country; I use that player," he added.

The Bafana coach also addressed the influence of media discussions on his selection decisions, insisting that he must remain independent and trust his own judgement.

He acknowledged that journalists have a responsibility to ask questions, but maintained that his priority is delivering results for South Africa.

The comments come after Appollis experienced a noticeable reduction in his involvement at Pirates. Despite producing five goal contributions in the early stages of the campaign, the winger has increasingly been used as an impact substitute.

He started eight of his first nine appearances across competitions but subsequently featured from the bench in several important matches, including the MTN8 final, the Soweto Derby and the Carling Knockout quarter-final.

Ouaddou has insisted that the reduced minutes should not be interpreted as a loss of confidence in the player. Instead, he believes protecting Appollis will benefit Pirates in the long term.

Mosimane, meanwhile, has already demonstrated his confidence in the winger by starting him in Bafana's previous AFCON qualifiers against Guinea and Eritrea. Appollis also contributed three assists during the 5-0 victory over Eritrea.

With important international fixtures ahead, the debate surrounding his workload is likely to continue.

Source:

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