Pirates coach Ouaddou lays bare Appollis’s injury fears amid fitness struggles

Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has full confidence in winger Oswin Appollis, though suggesting he was finding it difficult to return to full fitness after the World Cup.

Ouaddou took Appollis off in the 65th minute when they beat Sekhukhune United 1-0 in the first leg of the MTN8 semifinal at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday, where Deon Hotto netted the game’s only goal.

Appollis, who was at the World Cup in the US, Mexico and Canada with Bafana several weeks ago, hasn’t played a full 90 minutes for Pirates this season.

“Appollis is Appollis; you know him. He’s somebody even if he’s 50% or, let’s say, even 40% [fit]; he can score at any moment,” Ouaddou said.

“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.”

Ouaddou also made it clear that taking Appollis off in all five of Pirates’ games across the league and the MTN8 so far this season is more of a precaution measure, as he fears the 24-year-old Bafana ace could sustain a severe injury, having witnessed this happen to several players who were at the World Cup with Bafana.

“He’s one of our best players, and when you have a diamond in your house, you have to protect it. We are doing everything to help him [Appollis] to return to good shape.

“He’s improving in each game. Today [Saturday] it was a moment for us to protect him; maybe for him to rest and not to risk any injuries because I’ve been saying this since the beginning, I knew that all these international players will be tired [after the World Cup].

“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.”

Pirates have already lost Thalente Mbatha and Evidence Makgopa to big injuries after the World Cup. Pirates’ former defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Khuliso Mudau of Mamelodi Sundowns are other Bafana stars who’ve suffered long-term injuries after the World Cup.

“We’ve seen other teams that I don’t want to mention, where World Cup players have suffered very big injuries, so we want to avoid that with our international players,” Ouaddou said.

“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.”