Appollis backs ex-Orlando Pirates teammate Mofokeng after missing out on top PSL award

Oswin Appollis says he is “happy” to have lost out to former Orlando Pirates teammate Relebohile Mofokeng in the race for the Premier Soccer League’s Footballer of the Season award, insisting the forward fully merited the honour.

Appollis, who collected the Midfielder of the Season prize at Monday’s end-of-season PSL awards, was one of the three players shortlisted for the league’s flagship individual accolade alongside Mofokeng and Mamelodi Sundowns star Teboho Mokoena.

Mofokeng, now on the books of Belgian side Royale Union Saint-Gilloise after leaving Pirates, claimed the top award on the back of a standout campaign in which he helped the Buccaneers clinch the league title for the first time in 14 years.

The 19-year-old registered 11 goals and nine assists in 36 appearances in all competitions last season, playing a central role in a trophy-laden campaign which also brought MTN8 and Carling Knockout success for Pirates.

Appollis, 24, produced similarly impressive numbers, scoring 12 goals and supplying nine assists in 43 matches across all competitions as the Soweto club completed a domestic treble.

‘Whoever won, we’d be happy’

Despite debate among supporters and pundits over whether his statistics and influence should have tipped the Footballer of the Season vote in his favour, Appollis stressed there was no sense of disappointment within the Pirates camp.

“We are teammates. Rele and I spoke about it to say whoever wins it, we’d be happy. He deserves it also, and I think Tshepang, Seema, Sipho and Mbokazi [Mbokazi] also deserved to win it,” Appollis said during Pirates’ media open day at Rand Stadium on Tuesday.

The forward highlighted the strength of Pirates’ squad by suggesting several colleagues, including Sipho Chaine, Lebone Seema and Tshepang Moremi, had enjoyed campaigns worthy of consideration for the league’s leading individual trophy.

Appollis also underlined that his own Midfielder of the Season recognition was the product of collective effort rather than individual brilliance.

“I have to congratulate my teammates because without them it wasn’t going to be possible to win that award. Yes, of course, you always dream of winning individual awards, but at the end of the day you can’t win them without your teammates,” he added.

Focus turns to new PSL campaign

With the awards ceremony bringing the curtain down on last season’s achievements, Pirates have now switched attention to the defence of their league crown and domestic cups.

The Buccaneers begin their new campaign at home this weekend, when they face newly promoted Milford FC in their opening league fixture at Orlando Amstel Arena on Saturday.

The match will offer supporters a first competitive look at Pirates following Mofokeng’s departure to Royale Union Saint-Gilloise and comes after a season in which the Soweto giants re-established themselves as the dominant force in South African domestic football, ending a 14-year wait for the league title while adding the MTN8 and Carling Knockout trophies.