Tso Vilakazi defends Appollis amid Pirates benching, says ‘you can’t keep a good man down’
Orlando Pirates legend Benedict “Tso” Vilakazi has leapt to Oswin Appollis’ defence, and he has a theory about why the winger is being left out.
Now in his third season at the club, Appollis has seen limited game time in recent weeks, fuelling speculation about his standing in the squad. Vilakazi believes the problem is not his ability but his confidence.
“Let me say something that will make everyone think and talk – you can’t bring a good man down,” he said on the Omni Audio podcast.
Vilakazi admitted there could be an issue behind the scenes.
“Something might have happened between him and the coach or maybe the management… But we want to see him in the field of play because every time he is on the field, he gives us the class that we all know of him.
“I mean, how possible it is that Oswin Appollis can become a bad player overnight? It can’t be. Every time he gets an opportunity, he does well. In a big game like the derby, I even said to some colleagues of mine that Oswin Appollis will come on in the second half, and will do well.”
He said he believes coach Abdeslam Ouaddou kept him on the bench so he can come on later and influence the game.
“That is how you balance your team sometimes. He is key man and we need to show respect. He is a Bafana Bafana player and is key there as well.
“If you look at Bafana games, he contributed in almost all the goals that Bafana scored. So a player like that to not start the game, it must be a confidence issue.”
Vilakazi pointed to the criticism Appollis faced after the World Cup.
“I remember when he came back from the World Cup, everyone kept saying, ‘no Appollis didn’t do well in the World Cup’ and questioning why coach Broos played him.
“So, remember that a player also needs to get his confidence back. I believe that coach Ouaddou is trying to protect him in the sense that, ‘Look, you are not going to be Rele’s replacement. You have your own role as Appollis in the team’.”
