Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou is refusing to rush Oswin Appollis back into action despite the winger returning to training and reporting that he is no longer in pain.
The Bafana Bafana international missed Pirates’ 1-0 victory over African Stars in the first leg of their CAF Champions League second preliminary round tie after suffering an injury during the Buccaneers’ 3-0 Betway Premiership win against TS Galaxy.
Appollis had made an immediate impact against Galaxy, setting up Boitumelo Radiopane for the opening goal before being stretchered off, raising concerns about his availability for Pirates’ demanding run of fixtures.
Speaking during the club’s media day at the Orlando Amstel Arena on Thursday, Ouaddou confirmed that the winger had returned to training but stressed that his condition would be assessed carefully before a decision was made on his involvement.
“Look, I’m happy that he’s coming back in training. The target today was to assess him, to see what he’s able to do, and we start with the warm-up to see if he can sprint,” Ouaddou told journalists.
“So, it’s good news that I spoke with him at the end of training. He told me that he doesn’t feel any more pain.”
Despite the encouraging update, the Pirates coach made it clear that the club would not take unnecessary risks with one of its important players, particularly with several key matches ahead.
“He is really an important player in our team. I call them, they are all Ferraris, you know,” Ouaddou said.
“They are all Ferraris. It means Ferraris, you have to take care of the engine very well, and I don’t want to take a risk with one of the important players.
“So, we have many games, somebody mentioned it, important games. So, we have to be careful and not to burn the stages more.”
Ouaddou’s comments suggest that Appollis’ participation in Friday’s return leg against African Stars remains uncertain, even though the player has reported an improvement in his condition.
Pirates will be looking to finish the job against the Namibian side and secure qualification for the CAF Champions League group stage after taking a 1-0 advantage into the second leg.
The decision over Appollis will therefore depend on his response to training and the club’s assessment of whether he is ready to return without risking a setback.
