Orlando Pirates explain Oswin Appollis’ limited minutes this season

Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou says Oswin Appollis’ reduced playing time is intended to protect the attacker from fatigue after an intense period of football.

Appollis was named Betway Premiership Midfielder of the Season last campaign after helping Pirates secure the title. This season, however, he has completed 90 minutes in only two matches.

Ouaddou was asked about the 23-year-old’s limited involvement before Saturday’s Carling Knockout Cup quarter-final against Sekhukhune United, with Pirates facing a demanding run of fixtures.

“Appollis is a masterclass, Appollis is one of our best players. Appollis is one of the best players in South Africa, he’s full of quality but we don’t have to forget, he’s a human, he’s not a robot,” Ouaddou said.

The coach said Appollis had played almost continuously since joining Pirates from Polokwane City in July 2025, warning that such a workload could eventually take its toll.

“Appollis played a fantastic season for his first season at Pirates, he came from Polokwane where a lot of things have changed for him and he managed to handle all these things. He had a wonderful, fantastic season, straight away he went to the World Cup and there’s many players in Europe, many players in other clubs he played against,” Ouaddou added.

“He gave everything for his country, so he’s a guy who’s not cheating, so we can understand one moment that sometimes a player can maybe have this fatigue.”

Appollis’ first campaign at Pirates was followed by his involvement at the World Cup, where he represented his country and faced players from Europe and other clubs.

Ouaddou said the attacker’s contribution for his country further demonstrated the amount of football he had played since moving from Polokwane City. He insisted that limiting his minutes was part of managing him rather than questioning his quality or commitment.

The coach drew on his own experience as a player for Morocco and in club football, including his time with Fulham in the English Premier League.

Using that background, Ouaddou stressed that players are unable to perform at their best without sufficient recovery. He maintained that Appollis remained one of Pirates’ key players but needed to be rested carefully to avoid burnout as the season continued.

Pirates will face Sekhukhune United in the Carling Knockout Cup quarter-final on Saturday.