Orlando Pirates managing Appollis fitness to avoid injury

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou says Oswin Appollis is not yet at the fitness level the club’s technical team expects and is being carefully managed to reduce the risk of injury.

The 24-year-old attacker has played in all five of Pirates’ league and cup matches this season, scoring once in the league. However, his form and fitness have not matched the impact he made at the start of his first season with the club last campaign, when he was one of the side’s outstanding performers.

Appollis started Pirates’ MTN8 semi-final first-leg victory away to Sekhukhune United in Polokwane on Saturday, but struggled to make an impact before being replaced in the 65th minute.

Ouaddou said he had anticipated difficulties for players who represented their countries at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, pointing to the injuries suffered by Thalente Mbatha and Evidence Makgopa.

The Pirates coach said he did not want Appollis to experience a similar setback, which was why the club had decided against playing him for the full match.

“You are right to say he’s one of our best players and when you have a diamond in your house you have to protect him,” said Ouaddou.

“Appollis is Appollis you know him. He’s somebody that is 50% I can even say 40% and he can score at any moment so, we are not surprised. He’s not only the player that is not in the fitness state that we want. In Europe as well all the guys who have been in the World Cup, we can see that it’s difficult for them.

“With our performance department, medical department, the technical staff, we are doing everything for him to come back in the good shape. And for that today in the game he’s improving. And today it was a moment for us to protect him maybe for him to rest and not to risk any injury because I have been saying this since the beginning, I knew that all these international players they will be tired.

“And in order to protect them I need to anticipate any game injuries. It’s my job to do that sometimes the players they don’t understand it they are not happy to go out. But it’s my duty to protect them because we have seen in other teams that I don’t want to mention they have unfortunately very big injuries.

“So, in Pirates we want to avoid that with our international players. We already have two players that have had surgery with Mbatha, and we have Makgopa injured as well so we don’t want to have more players injured because the season will be very long.”

Ouaddou said Appollis is not the only player whose condition is being monitored, adding that the club’s performance, medical and technical departments are working together to help him return to the required level.

He stressed that substituting players before they complete a match can sometimes cause frustration, but said protecting them was part of his responsibility as coach. Pirates already have two players affected by significant injuries, with Mbatha having undergone surgery and Makgopa also sidelined.

The coach’s comments come as Pirates manage their squad during a long season that includes domestic league and cup commitments.

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