Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou's Oswin Appollis problem explained - 'Simply signing good players does not guarantee positive results'

Orlando Pirates' new coach Abdeslam Ouaddou added Oswin Appollis to his growing number of new signings ahead of the 2025/26 season.

The former Polokwane City winger has been tipped to provide a headache for Ouaddou, according to former Buccaneers striker Johnny Masegela.

"Given the form they were in last season and the fact that they have changed coaches, the new coach is already under pressure to integrate everyone, especially with new players coming in," Masegela told KickOff.

"If Jose Riveiro had remained, he could have devised a good plan to introduce Appollis into his team. However, now that Abdeslam is new, he will have to balance playing both new and old players simultaneously. 

"Abdeslam will face significant pressure to play Appollis, regardless of how well the current player in his position is performing, simply because he is a big signing. To accommodate Appollis in the line-up, someone will have to be sacrificed," added the former Buccaneers star.

"At Polokwane City, Appollis was an exceptional player, but we will have to wait and see if he replicates that success at Pirates on the field.  

"Simply signing good players does not guarantee positive results. Appollis has shown his talent with Bafana Bafana, but as we know, Pirates is a different team."

Interestingly, Appollis thrives as a left winger, the same position played in by Pirates starman Relebohile Mofokeng.

That is what could give Ouaddou a headache on who to start as an attacking player on the left side.

When Bafana Bafana beat Mozambique 2-0 in an international friendly match in June, Appollis came on as a second-half substitute for Mofokeng.

Three days earlier against Tanzania, it was vice-versa with Mofokeng replacing Appollis who had started.

During March's 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Benin and Lesotho, coach Hugo Broos preferred to start Mofokeng ahead of Appollis in both games.

However, some might interpret the signing of Appollis as in anticipation of Mofokeng's departure.

This comes as transfer rumours around Mofokeng have been swelling with Europe as his reported destination.