Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has explained his decision to carefully manage Oswin Appollis' playing time, using Paris Saint-Germain's approach to Achraf Hakimi as an example of why protecting important players is necessary.

The Buccaneers coach has faced questions over Appollis' reduced involvement in recent matches, with some supporters wondering why one of the team's influential attacking players has not featured as regularly as expected.

However, Ouaddou has dismissed suggestions of any disagreement involving the winger, insisting that the decision is purely related to workload management and injury prevention.

To explain his approach, the Pirates coach referred to PSG manager Luis Enrique and his reported plans concerning Moroccan international Achraf Hakimi.

"You see in Paris Saint-Germain now, Luis Enrique said he's going to play Hakimi in January," Ouaddou explained.

He went on to highlight how modern football clubs use physical performance data to monitor players and identify potential injury risks before they become serious problems.

"Why? Because they have seen with the numbers that this guy maybe risks injuries and they don't want to lose him," Ouaddou added.

The coach believes Orlando Pirates must apply similar principles when managing players who carry significant responsibilities within the squad.

For Appollis, the intention is to ensure that he remains physically prepared for the most important fixtures rather than exposing him to unnecessary physical demands throughout the campaign.

Ouaddou was particularly unhappy with suggestions that the player's situation involved internal problems, insisting that the winger remains highly valued by the technical team.

"It's the same for us... people must stop to create any polemics—Appollis is one of our best players and we want to protect him for the most important games," the coach firmly declared.

The explanation suggests that Pirates are prioritising Appollis' long-term availability as they continue competing for honours this season.

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