Orlando Pirates’ Deon Hotto: Former electrician turned-speedy winger

Fast and direct with a powerful shot. Orlando Pirates’ star forward Deon Hotto is celebrating his 31st birthday ahead of the club’s next meeting with Sekhukhune United next Tuesday. Let’s look at how he rose to superstardom in such an unforgiving league.

DEON HOTTO BEFORE ORLANDO PIRATES

The Namibian made it out from a footballing background where players hold day jobs to make a living while playing football as a hobby. Striking a move to the wealthy South African league is a life-changing moment that many of his fellow young countrymen sadly never live to realise.

The left-winger was nearly 24 years old when he finally took the flight to Durban to sign his first professional contract at Golden Arrows’ offices in June 2014 under coach Manqoba Mngqithi. The moment was the beginning of the end of his career as a groundsman and electrician.

Playing for Arrows was stepping into the big time after his years at the likes of Swakopmund FC, Blue Boys, and African Stars back home.

Clear talent doesn’t stay around for long in humble places like Lamontville. The speedy winger, nicknamed the “Hot, hot, hotto” would soon leave KwaZulu Natal to find new home addresses in Bloemfontein and Johannesburg, the City of Gold.

CELTIC AND BIDVEST WITS

After emerging as a lethal winger that is capable of long-range goals and sharp assists, Hotto’s supreme work ethic, which his three goals and six assists in 34 games hardly justified, earned him a move to Phunya Sele Sele in 2016.

Hotto’s aggressively direct style and superb crossing ability he displayed at Celtic was what former Bidvest Wits coach Gavin Hunt loves to see in a winger. He signed for Wits and transformed into a monster that terrorised local defenders as we had never seen before, he hit double digits, 15 goals, and 21 assists in a Wits shirt. This output forced the mighty Pirates to come calling.

DEON HOTTO JOINS ORLANDO PIRATES

Life changes when you become a Buccaneer. A professional player steps to the level of a Mzansi celebrity. The date was 21 September 2020 when Hotto was announced as an Orlando Pirates footballer.

Buccaneers! My new home! Thank you very much to everyone that has played a role in my career! Today a life long dream that started in Swakopmund, Namibia has come true ! @orlandopirates #OnceAlways pic.twitter.com/haCs6L86SC

— Deon Hotto (@DeonHotto) September 21, 2020

Happy birthday, Hotto!

Meanwhile, Amabhakabhaka are having the day off after Thursday night’s 1-1 draw with Royal AM at the Orlando Stadium.

Hotto, who has so far delivered one goal and two assists in nine games this season, is expected to better this goal contribution on the matchday grass against Sekhukhune next Tuesday in Soweto.