Abdeslam Ouaddou takes responsibility for Deon Hotto’s Soweto Derby right-back gamble

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has accepted responsibility for selecting left-footed Deon Hotto at right-back and leaving Sihle Sigomoshe out of the starting XI for the Soweto Derby.

The decision was changed at half-time after Pirates struggled to create width and attacking momentum down the right. Ouaddou said the tactical choice was his alone and that his players should not be blamed for its failure.

“When I speak about this choice, and sometimes you have to accept, you can’t blame the players, I had the choice to make, I spoke to you about the magnitude of the game, today [Saturday] we’re talking 100,000 people,” he said after the match.

Ouaddou explained that Sigomoshe had impressed in the matches before the derby, but he opted for Hotto’s experience because of the threat posed by Kaizer Chiefs on that side of the pitch.

“A player who did well in previous games, Sigomoshe, until the last moment, I decided to put the experienced Hotto there, and because the opponent on his side is right footed, I thought it could work there to stop him and protect Sigomoshe.

“He’s done well in the last games really, I’m happy for someone to integrate so easily coming from Milford to such a big club. I think congratulations to him, I didn’t want to burn him because this kind of games is 50/50 – you can be successful, but you can burn yourself as well.”

Hotto moved across to left-back for the second half, while Nkosikhona Ndaba was replaced by Gamphani Lungu, who took up the right-back position.

The Pirates manager said the change was needed because the team lacked the runs in behind that would normally come from a natural right-back, such as Kamogelo Sebelebele.

“So, I decided to put an experienced guy there, but it didn’t work properly, and we didn’t have the depth, we didn’t have the runs in behind like [Kamogelo] Sebelebele can have, like a right full-back can have on that side.

“You know the full-backs are very important in our game model, I didn’t help the team, especially in the first half, so it’s something I have to take, to analyse with my technical staff, but yeah nobody is perfect, some coaches can make mistakes as well.”

Despite the tactical setback, Pirates secured a 2-1 victory over Kaizer Chiefs in the Soweto Derby.

The result extended their unbeaten start to the league season to seven wins and one draw. Pirates remain one point behind Mamelodi Sundowns, but have a game in hand.