Ouaddou says Pirates are ‘protecting our diamond’ Appollis

Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou says Oswin Appollis’ recent lack of regular game time is a deliberate workload-management decision, rather than a sign that the winger has fallen out of favour.

Ouaddou considers Appollis one of the best players in South Africa and believes he needs to be protected after a demanding period that included an impressive debut season with Pirates and representing Bafana Bafana at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Moroccan coach said Appollis remained an important part of his plans and that the decision to limit his minutes was intended to ensure he remained available during a busy run of fixtures.

“Appollis is a masterclass; he is one of our best players. Appollis is one of the best players in South Africa,” Ouaddou told journalists at a Carling Knockout media event at the PSL headquarters in Parktown, Johannesburg, on Thursday.

Appollis joined Pirates from Polokwane City and enjoyed an excellent first campaign with the club before featuring for his country at the World Cup.

Ouaddou said the winger had faced a significant change in circumstances and had committed fully to his international responsibilities. That effort, the coach added, meant fatigue was understandable.

“But we don’t have to forget that he is human. He is not a robot. Appollis played a fantastic season in his first season at Pirates after coming from Polokwane City FC,” he said.

“He went to the World Cup, and it’s not only him. Many players in Europe, at other clubs. He played the games; he gave everything for his country. So, he is a guy who is not cheating. We can understand one moment that sometimes a player can have this fatigue.”

With Pirates facing a demanding schedule, Ouaddou said the club had chosen not to risk overworking one of its key attacking players. He described the approach as a long-term decision designed to benefit both Appollis and the team.

“So, we are protecting our diamond. We are protecting our diamond because we have many games, and we know that if we protect him, we give him his time,” he said.

The coach remains confident that Appollis will return to a prominent role once he has been given enough time to recover.

“We know that he will be important for us. We will benefit from this protection that we give him. But soon you are going to see Appollis back.”