Mosimane tells Appollis to put Bafana Bafana ahead of Orlando Pirates habits

Pitso Mosimane has urged Orlando Pirates forward Oswin Appollis to adapt his game for Bafana Bafana, insisting the national team’s tactical demands must take priority over club-based habits.

Aubrey Modiba and Appollis started on the left flank in Bafana Bafana’s 2-1 victory over Guinea in an AFCON qualifier at Orlando Amstel Arena on Saturday afternoon.

Mosimane was pleased with Modiba’s display at left-back and wants the Mamelodi Sundowns player to continue operating in the same way for the national side.

“Modiba must play exactly the same way he plays at Sundowns,” Mosimane said. “He must come into the No. 10 role. That’s important. I didn’t invent that style for Modiba – he’s been playing like that. We’ve got to use him to his strengths.”

The coach believes Appollis and right-back Kamogelo Sebelebele must make greater contributions in both defensive and attacking phases, because Bafana Bafana’s structure differs from the system used by Orlando Pirates.

“When Modiba comes inside, Appollis knows that he has to stay on the wing,” Mosimane explained. “Appollis doesn’t play that way at Pirates – he plays inside. But this is the national team, right? He has to accommodate Modiba.

“At Pirates, he drifts inside and (Deon) Hotto overlaps. But this is the national team, and he has to adjust. I need Appollis staying wide on the wing rather than coming inside. Sometimes, Sebelebele must sit back.”

Mosimane’s post-match remarks prompted a strong reaction on social media, with critics accusing him of favouring the Mamelodi Sundowns approach while overlooking the way Orlando Pirates play.

That criticism was framed as another example of club divisions interfering with the need to support the national team. However, Mosimane’s position is based on how he believes Bafana Bafana must function tactically, rather than on club preference.

Mosimane naturally has a close connection to the system he developed at Mamelodi Sundowns, but that framework has been retained and developed by coaches who followed him, including incumbent Miguel Cardoso, and has produced success.

At international level, though, the responsibility for the team’s plans rests with Mosimane. His role is to devise strategies that neutralise the opposition’s strengths and make the best use of the players available to him.

That means players must adjust to Bafana Bafana’s requirements, even when those instructions differ from their usual roles at Mamelodi Sundowns or Orlando Pirates. For Appollis in particular, Mosimane wants him to remain wide when Modiba moves into the No. 10 position, while Sebelebele may sometimes be required to hold his position rather than push forward.