Here is the story: Deon Hotto is an ever present name in Jose Riveiro’s starting line up, preferred ahead of crowd favorite, Vincent Pule on the left side of the Bucs attack.
Hotto’s continued inclusion in the Bucs starting line up has left football fans and pundits divided in their opinions.
Some believe he should continue to start because of his high work rate, which offers Orlando Pirates balance on and off the ball.
One soccer fan, Sikhosana Given Bongane, responding to a question we posed about who should be starting on the left for Bucs between Hotto and Pule, summarized the situation in five simple words.
“Hotto, that Pule is lazy,” he replied.
Others though, are not happy with what he offers the club offensively, with the 32-year-old having scored two goals and produced a single assist this season across all competitions.
iDiski TV analyst, Junior Khanye is also not impressed with Hotto, as well as Kabelo Dlamini.
“What I see, he is playing week in and week out. But what is he bringing? He doesn’t offer the team much defensively and offensively.
So why is Hotto always on the line up? That is the question.
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The fact of the matter is: Despite spending 1834 minutes on the pitch, Hotto hasn’t really contributed much for Orlando Pirates in terms of goals and assists.
The Namibian left winger has scored a meagre two goals for Bucs, and just one assist.
That is a poor return for a player who plays week in and week out in Hotto’s position.
His numbers suggest he might be one of the reasons Orlando Pirates have struggled to score goals this season. He is not giving them enough offensively.
What is clear as day light is the contrast between Hotto’s statistics from the previous campaign compared to the ongoing season.
In the 2021/22 edition, he managed nine goals and ten assists, that is a direct involvement in nineteen goals across all competitions!
Could that be the reason the coach has been patient with him? Giving him chance after chance with the hope that he will rediscover his magic?
Perhaps, what his former coach, Joseph Zinnbauer told The Citizen in 2021 when he was coaching Amabhakaniya, can shed some light on Hotto’s continued preference over Pule.
“He is always giving opponents a question mark. Nobody can touch him; he is always on fire.
“He works with the ball and without the ball and it’s good for the team. He is not a false number nine, his role in the team is like that of Thembinkosi Lorch,” said Zinnbauer.
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In a nutshell: While opinions will continue to be divided when it comes to Hotto, maybe Joseph Zinnbauer’s words can put the debate to bed.
Maybe it is not about what Hotto gives Pirates offensively, which is next to nothing.
Maybe it is the work he does off the ball, when the spotlight is not on him that has won Jose Riveiro’s heart.
Tags: Orlando Pirates, Deon Hotto, Vincent Pule.
Key Phrases: Deon Hotto, Orlando Pirates.
Categories: Dstv Premiership, South Africa.