‘I don't need to feel vindicated,' says Ellis on Banyana's controversial rotation policy

News24

2 days ago

Banyana coach Desiree Ellis doesn't feel the need for vindication, even if her rotation policy paid off in her team's 4-0 win over Mali on Monday.
The Wafcon defending champions topped Group C and will face Senegal in the quarter-finals.
They extended their unbeaten Wafcon streak to 14 matches.
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Banyana Banyana head coach Desiree Ellis remained defiant in the face of criticism over her rotation strategy, which has divided opinion throughout their Women's Africa Cup of Nations campaign in Morocco.
After a solid 2-0 win over Ghana in their Group C opener, Ellis made four bold changes for the second match against Tanzania.
Most notable was swapping out the in-form Andile Dlamini for Kaylin Swart in goal.
The result: a frustrating 1-1 draw that left fans questioning the decision.
But Ellis has stood firm, citing Morocco's sweltering conditions as a key factor in her selections, keeping players fresh and tactics that fit each match.
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On Monday, in their final group match, the changes kept coming. This time, much to the delight of supporters, Dlamini was reinstated along with Lebogang Ramalepe, Amogelang Motau and tournament talisman Hildah Magaia.
The response? A resounding 4-0 victory over Mali, with goals from Ramalepe, Refiloe Jane, Magaia and Ronnel Donnelly.
Banyana not only topped their group but extended their unbeaten Wafcon streak to 14 matches – a run that stretches all the way back to 2018.
Ellis' gamble, it seems, is paying off.
'Look, after the first win against Ghana, we did the same thing we did in 2022. After beating Nigeria, we made changes for the next game. We didn't play well, but we got the results,' Ellis told reporters after the game.
'The next game we made changes again for that game [in 2022] because we wanted to make sure that we keep our players fresh. So, it wasn't about anything else but also making sure that players stay fresh.'
Banyana took a commanding 2-0 lead going into the break against Mali at the Honneur Stadium. True to form, Ellis used the cushion to once again showcase her trusted rotation policy.
At the start of the second half, she introduced Gabrielle Salgado, Regina Mogolola and Sibulele Holweni, giving key starters Jermaine Seoposenwe, Refiloe Jane and Amogelang Motau a well-earned rest.
'I mean, at half-time, we took a lot of players off and brought other players on, and it's not about giving everybody an opportunity, but making sure that they're fresh and trusting those that you brought with.
'Making so many changes, we didn't feel that even against Tanzania, where we got a draw, we felt we had a good enough team on the park [but] sometimes things just don't go your way, and that's what happened.'
Ellis admits that the critics and the naysayers about her way of managing her squad have not gotten to her.
'Tonight, almost everything went right [for us] and that was like pure joy,' she said.
'I don't need to justify why I do it. I don't need to feel vindicated for why I do it because we trust in the process.
'That's all what it is about – it's just trust in the process.'
After clinching top spot in Group C, Banyana have earned more than just bragging rights; they've secured the luxury of staying put in Oujda for the next phase of their Wafcon journey.
While other quarter-finalists face the disruption of travelling to Rabat or Berkane, Ellis's side will enjoy the comfort of familiar surroundings as they prepare to take on Senegal in a high-stakes knockout clash.
The defending champions return to the Honneur Stadium on Saturday (kick-off at 21:00, SA time).
Wafcon quarter-final fixtures: