“There Is No Fatigue With Us” Pitso Mosimane Fires Back Over Oswin Appollis Selection Drama

Pitso Mosimane Sends Strong Message Over Oswin Appollis As Pirates Star Faces Bafana Selection Spotlight

Bafana Bafana head coach Pitso Mosimane has made his position clear regarding Oswin Appollis and the concerns surrounding the winger’s workload at Orlando Pirates, insisting that club-level fatigue will not determine his national team selection decisions.

The experienced coach addressed the issue during a press conference on Thursday, 12 November 2026, ahead of South Africa’s important 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Kenya at Orlando Amstel Arena.

Appollis has attracted attention in recent weeks after spending more time on the Pirates bench than supporters have become accustomed to seeing. His club coach, Abdeslam Ouaddou, previously explained that the decision to limit the winger’s starting appearances was partly aimed at managing his workload and protecting him from burnout.

The 25-year-old enjoyed a demanding previous campaign, featuring in domestic and continental competitions before also representing South Africa on the international stage. Ouaddou believes managing his minutes is important to keeping the player fresh for the challenges ahead.

However, Mosimane has made it clear that his responsibility with Bafana is different from that of a club coach.

“We play once in two months, so there’s no fatigue with us. So, for me, fatigue is not mine to manage, but to choose the best player around, and who’s available,” Mosimane explained.

The national team coach added that he would not overtrain or deliberately reduce the workload of his squad. Instead, he intends to select players according to their availability and what they can contribute to the country.

“I just use the player who’s available and good for the country,” he said.

Mosimane’s comments suggest that Appollis’ reduced game time at Pirates will not automatically count against him when Bafana’s starting line-up is selected. The coach also made it clear that he would not allow outside opinions or comments from other technical teams to influence his decisions.

For Appollis, this presents an important opportunity to demonstrate his value on the international stage. The winger has already shown what he can offer, including an impressive performance against Eritrea in the previous AFCON qualifying campaign, when he registered three assists.

Bafana are preparing for two important encounters against Kenya, with the first scheduled for Friday, 13 November, at Orlando Amstel Arena before the teams meet again in Nairobi four days later.

The matches are significant for South Africa’s qualification ambitions, and Mosimane will be looking to get the best out of his available players.

While Pirates may prefer to protect Appollis by carefully managing his minutes, the national team coach has made his approach unmistakable: selection will be based on availability and what he believes is best for Bafana.

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