Bafana Bafana legend Surprise Moriri has clarified the thinking behind South Africa coach Pitso Mosimane’s intention to mould his game around some Mamelodi Sundowns players while asking Oswin Appollis to tweak his play to accommodate Aubrey Modiba.
Modiba and Appollis started on the left flank in a 2027 AFCON qualifier against Guinea last month, with the Orlando Pirates star operating in front of wing-back Modiba. While Appollis is used to cutting inside at his club, Mosimane wants him to stay wide when in action for the national team.
This, the Bafana coach says, is to play to Modiba’s best strength, making runs inside as he does at Sundowns. Mosimane also wants another Pirates star, Kamogelo Sebelebele, to reduce his forays upfront.
Sebelebele performed defensive duties to perfection while sitting back against Guinea, and that helped in containing Syli Nationale’s menacing winger Aliou Balde. The Buccaneers could also be seen switching wings in the second half to help Modiba and then Samukele Kabini deal with Balde, who was now on the right after starting the second half on the left side. That earned Sebelebele a Man of the Match award.
MOSIMANE’S TACTICAL APPROACH LEANING ON SUNDOWNS?
Mosimane has explained how he wants Appollis to operate when on the same pitch with Modiba, saying the Masandawana defender should play the way he does at his club.
“Modiba must play exactly the same way he plays at Sundowns, and he must come into the number 10 position. That’s important,” Mosimane told the media. “I didn’t make Modiba to play like that. He has been playing like that. So, we have got to use him to his strengths, and Appollis knows that.
“I told Appollis that when Modiba comes there, he has to stay on the wing. But Pirates do not play that way. At Pirates, Appollis plays inside. But this is the national team because it has to accommodate Modiba.
“So, at Pirates, he plays inside because [Deon] Hotto is coming out or whoever is playing as a left-back. But this is the national team, so he had to change, and they must adjust, by the way. So, I need Appollis on the wing and they can come inside. Sometimes Sebelebele must sit back.”
However, when Bafana faced Eritrea on Wednesday in their second match of the AFCON qualifiers in Group D, Modiba was injured and Apollis combined with Kabini on the left-flank.
MORIRI LEAPS TO MOSIMANE’S DEFENCE
However, Mosimane’s remarks divided fans who interpreted the coach’s remarks as favouring Sundowns’ players. But Moriri has come in to give context to what his former coach said.
“I’m not the one to clear the air, but I can also give the way I understood where he was coming from. But to clear the air, he is the one who has to do that because he is the one who said the statement,” said Moriri.
“But I think people took it out of context because he was just explaining how he wants them to operate inside the field. And for people to understand what you want, you have to give reference to where the players are playing.
“Of course they belong to different teams. So, when he says Appollis plays inside when he plays for Pirates and I want him outside, people can understand what he means because he has given reference.
“When he says I want Modiba inside so that Appollis can go outside, he gives reference. I must say that we are making it a big issue. We have to celebrate and support Bafana Bafana because if we still see Bafana players as individuals from different teams, we will have a problem.
“Of course, when these players come to the national team, they belong to the national team, and we have to give them equal support and see them as national team players.”
RELATED STORY: Teboho Mokoena and Aubrey Modiba ruled out of Bafana’s Eritrea clash
