Abdeslam Ouaddou reveals why he is protecting Oswin Appollis ahead of Sekhukhune clash

Abdeslam Ouaddou, the coach of Orlando Pirates, is exercising caution when it comes to the fitness of winger Oswin Appollis as he recovers from the demands of Bafana Bafana's World Cup campaign. Appollis was substituted after 65 minutes during Pirates' MTN8 semi-final first-leg win over Sekhukhune United, with Deon Hotto scoring the decisive goal.

The two teams will again meet on Tuesday in the Betway Premiership, and Ouaddou's comments indicate that Appollis' workload will continue to be carefully managed. The 24-year-old has been involved in all five of Pirates' matches this season but has yet to play a full 90 minutes. Ouaddou believes that Appollis' fitness situation is to be expected, given the strain placed on players who represented Bafana at the World Cup.

He explained, "We are not surprised (about Appollis’s lack of full fitness). He’s not the only player who’s not in the fitness state that we want; all the guys who were at the World Cup, you can see that it’s difficult for them." To prevent potential injuries, Ouaddou has made the decision to remove Appollis early in every match this season, prioritizing injury prevention over performance.

The coach views protecting the winger as crucial as Pirates face a long campaign across multiple competitions. Injuries to other World Cup players, such as Thalente Mbatha and Evidence Makgopa, serve as a warning for Ouaddou to be cautious. "To protect them I need to anticipate any big injuries; it’s my job to do that, and sometimes the players don’t understand; they are not happy to be substituted, but it’s my duty to protect them," he added.

Pirates will face Sekhukhune again just three days after their MTN8 encounter, providing another test of Ouaddou's squad management. He emphasized, "We already have two players in Mbatha and Makgopa who need surgeries, so we don’t want the list to grow because this season will be very long."