Orlando Pirates News Today: Appollis fatigue not Pitso’s business? Rele praised & more

The latest Orlando Pirates news in the last 24 hours including Pitso Mosimane responding to fatigue claims for Oswin Appollis, why Relebohile Mofokeng has been tipped to deliver abroad and more.

Pirates news as they break

Mosimane on Appollis’ reduced game time

Bafana Bafana head coach Pitso Mosimane has addressed Oswin Appollis’ reduced playing minutes at Orlando Pirates this season, insisting it is not his job to manage club-level player fatigue.

Ahead of the Group D 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Kenya, questions were raised regarding Appollis’ inclusion and readiness given his sharp drop in starting appearances at club level.

Despite registering an impressive five goal contributions—two goals and three assists—in 416 Betway Premiership minutes this term, the 2025/26 PSL Midfielder of the Season has gradually slipped out of Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou’s starting XI.

Bafana Bafana head coach Pitso Mosimane has addressed Oswin Appollis’ reduced playing minutes at Orlando Pirates this season, insisting it is not his job to manage club-level player fatigue.#FARPosthttps://t.co/hDbsJCv3vu

— FARPost (@FARPostZA) November 12, 2026

Having started eight of his opening nine appearances across all competitions between August and mid-September, the former SuperSport United winger has been named in the starting line-up just once in his last seven outings. In the Betway Premiership alone, Appollis has featured for 416 out of a possible 810 minutes—just over half—while across his last seven matches in all competitions since mid-September, he has managed only 240 out of 630 available minutes.

That shift has largely restricted him to cameo roles off the bench.

“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?. So I don’t over-train my team. I just say who’s available and is good for the country; I use that player. So, I hear that you are a lot in press conferences, but to be honest, I don’t listen,” Mosimane said in a presser.

“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 wrote your opinion. Right? So who do I listen to? Because another person has got his own [opinion about] other people that he thinks should be there. So who should I listen to? So then I’m the coach, right? And you [journalists] do the writing. And you must have the followers in your team.

“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 the right questions. And if you don’t ask that, I’m surprised. Then you’re not a journalist,” Jingles concluded.

Mofokeng tipped to deliver

KV Kortrijk winger Shandre Campbell has tipped Bafana Bafana star Relebohile Mofokeng for huge success in Europe, while insisting the midfielder inspires the next generation of local footballers in South Africa. 

Mofokeng is in his first season at Belgian Jupiler Pro League leaders Royale Union Saint-Gilloise after joining them from Orlando Pirates in July. Having settled quickly to football in Europe, the 22-year-old has managed five goals and four assists in 17 games across all competitions for Royale Union.

His exploits have not gone unnoticed as he is in the running for the Jupiler League October Player of the Month. He was nominated alongside the Club Brugge duo of  Nicolo Tresoldi and Carlos Forbs.

KV Kortrijk winger Shandre Campbell has tipped Bafana Bafana star Relebohile Mofokeng for huge success in Europe, while insisting the midfielder inspires the next generation of local footballers in South Africa. #FARPosthttps://t.co/LOEqQ4Sv5S

— FARPost (@FARPostZA) November 12, 2026

Campbell plays in the same league as Mofokeng, although the former SuperSport United star arrived in Belgium earlier. The Kortrijk wideman views Mofokeng as an inspiration, not only for him but for a generation positioning itself for Bafana recognition.

“Rele is a very talented player; he is that one in the crop that you know is going to be special. He adapted quickly to Europe and is doing wonderfully,” Campbell told the media.

“He [Mofokeng] is going to win Player of the Month. I hope he does. He is a talented player. He’s scoring and assisting, but most importantly, he is staying humble, which is leading to his success.

“I feel like he’s just going to grow bigger and bigger and become a big South African player. A lot of people, even I, look up to him.

“A lot of us here in the Under-23 look up to him because they see where he is and how he got there. I think he is doing wonderfully, and he is going to keep prospering in Europe.”