Sergio Dos Santos, the former youth coach of Oswin Appollis, believes the current Orlando Pirates team is stronger than last season’s squad thanks to the Bafana Bafana international.
On Saturday, the left winger will face his former club, Polokwane City FC, in the quarter-final of the MTN8 at Orlando Stadium.
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Dos Santos stated that he is confident Appollis is determined to prove himself against his old team.
"I brought Oswin Appollis to Ajax Cape Town when he was just 14 years old," Dos Santos told KickOff.
"He will do well at Pirates; I have a lot of faith in him. He has matured into a wonderful young man, just as I expected. He is a team player and not selfish. In my opinion, he is the best signing Pirates have made so far."
Regarding the match against Polokwane City, Dos Santos acknowledged that Appollis might feel a bit nervous.
However, this nervousness stems not from doubt in his abilities, but from wanting to perform well for the Pirates fans after having previously excelled with Polokwane City last season, where he was a key contributor to their success.
"In Saturday's game, he needs to settle in quickly to demonstrate to the Pirates fans that he belongs at the club. Additionally, he will want to ensure that Polokwane City does not look down on him," he explained.
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Dos Santos emphasised that there is no reason for the team not to improve compared to last year.
"The new players are all talented, and they should be highly motivated to elevate the team to the next level. Pirates have made wise purchases. When you compare what they had last season to what they have now, the squad is even more stronger.
"Overall, I believe Pirates will have a fantastic season this year."
Photo by Philip Maeta/Gallo Images
