ORLANDO Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou says the club are protecting Oswin Appollis, not sidelining him.
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The Moroccan mentor has defended the 24-year-old winger, saying fans must understand the player has carried a heavy load after a demanding season for club and country. Appollis has been one of Pirates’ key attacking weapons since joining from Polokwane City. But Ouaddou says even top players need time to breathe.
“Appollis is a masterclass. Appollis is one of our best players. Appollis is one of the best players in South Africa. He is full of quality. We must not forget that Appollis is human. He is not a robot,” said Ouaddou.
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Ouaddou said Appollis had to adjust quickly after leaving Polokwane City for one of the biggest clubs in the country. He said the winger handled the pressure well and still delivered a strong first season in black and white.
“Appollis played a fantastic season in his first season at Pirates. He came from Polokwane, where a lot of things changed for him, and he managed to handle all these things. He had a wonderful, fantastic season. Straight away, he went to the World Cup. He played the games and gave everything for his country. So he is a guy who is not cheating. We can understand that sometimes a player can experience fatigue,” he said.
Ouaddou said he knows what Appollis is going through because he also played club and international football with little time to rest. The former Morocco international said he spent years juggling national team duty with the demands of European football.
“I was a player. During six years in a row, I was qualifying for the World Cup with Morocco. I was also playing in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. After that, when I went to Europe, I played in the Europa League and the league for six years. I can understand,” he said.
With a busy run of fixtures ahead, Ouaddou said Pirates are managing Appollis carefully so he can hit top form again.
“We are protecting our diamond. We are protecting our diamond because we have many games. We know that if we protect him and give him this time, he will be important for us. We will benefit from the protection we are giving him. But soon, soon, you are going to see Appollis back. For me, he is somebody I love, and I don’t want to burn him,” Ouaddou said.
