Pitso Mosimane makes position clear on Oswin Appollis' reduced game-time

Oswin Appollis's recent absence from the Orlando Pirates starting XI has drawn attention, but Pitso Mosimane won't let club-level workload concerns dictate his decisions with the national team.

Mosimane explains his stance on Appollis

Bafana Bafana head coach Pitso Mosimane has insisted that managing Oswin Appollis' workload at Orlando Pirates is not his responsibility, and that he will select the winger based on availability and suitability for the national team.

Appollis has recently missed several starting line-ups for the Buccaneers, with coach Abdeslam Ouaddou explaining that the club is managing his workload ahead of important fixtures.

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However, Mosimane believes the demands of international football are different, given the limited number of matches played by national teams.

“We play once, right? So fatigue is not for me to manage it. Right? For me it’s to choose the best player who’s around and who’s available, okay?” he said.

He added that he would not allow outside opinions to influence his selection decisions.

'My business is to win here'

Mosimane also addressed questions from journalists about his squad choices, insisting that he must make decisions based on his own assessment rather than public debate.

“I have to look at what I have because now if I start listening to anybody and everybody, my decisions and my way of thinking will be swayed.

“If I read what you write, I’ll be in trouble, right? Because you can write what you want to write. I must respect your opinion.

“But if that opinion starts to go into my mind and it affects the choice of players I must make, I might not as well be here because you write your opinion. Right?”

The coach acknowledged the role of journalists in questioning his decisions, while distinguishing their responsibilities and his own.

“It’s a good question, there’s nothing wrong with it. You make your business, you make your money. My business is to win here. [But for you] is to increase numbers, then those are right questions. And if you don’t ask that, I’m surprised. Then you’re not a journalist.”

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