Derby County v Hull City: Cody Drameh on enjoying his learning curve playing Walterball
NOT FOR the first time in his life, Cody Drameh is taking a crash-course in a different way of playing football, and the Hull City defender is really enjoying it.
Having made his senior debut as a Leeds United player under Marcelo Bielsa, the 22-year-old is now adapting to another idiosyncratic style of play at Hull. Adding to the challenge is the fact the right-back is doing so on the left – not that coach Tim Walter thinks it is that big a deal.
And Drameh has responded so well it would be a surprise if the right-footer did not line up at left-back at Derby County on Saturday.
A bigger challenge than playing on the "other" side – something he occasionally did on loan at Birmingham City – is getting used to “Walterball”, but Wednesday’s 1-1 draw at home to Burnley was a welcome sign that a process that was never going to be quick might be coming together.
"It's unique," says Drameh. "I've never played how the gaffer's asked me to play but I'm taking on board what he's asking me to do and just getting better day by day.
"If you go around the squad I think there's always going to be players saying this gaffer was unique and that gaffer was unique but you've just got to do what he asks you to."
Ask him what it involves, though, and Drameh gets very coy.
"I don't want to give away secrets but it's things on the ball and off the ball as well, the rotations are a lot different but I don't want to be trying to help the opposition!" he says with a smile.
Ryan Giles and Matty Jacob are Hull's specialist left-backs and first-choice right-back Lewie Coyle has often filled in there during his career but after three substitute appearances to get him up to speed after a pre-season injury, Drameh has started the last six matches there.
"It was probably just something I was presented with because the gaffer subbed off a left-back (for those first three appearances) and brought me on at left-back," he says.
"I was just asked to do the best I could. It's definitely a challenge but it's another string to add to my bow and I'm enjoying it."
Walter has been delighted with the defender's impact.
"Sometimes I've been asked if we have a left-back in our squad, why do I play Cody Drameh. Now you can see the reason," he says.
"He's proved he can play on both sides and he's a really brilliant player not only out of possession but in possession.
"With the right foot you can maybe cross with more inswing so that's the reason we have Abu Kamara on the left (wing) with a left foot – he's playing more early crosses and from further out, Cody's more on the edge of the box playing inswinging crosses. Both are possible.
"In England it's more common to have ‘inverted’ wingers (with their dominant foot on the inside) and the left-back is left-footed but for me it's the same because then the full-back is overlapping more and the winger is going inside. it's the same, it's what you prefer.
"And it doesn't matter if both favour the same foot."
Hull go into the game lifted by a performance arguably even better than the result against a Burnley side tipped to challenge for the title.
"Taking points against the top sides is always going to be a positive thing," says Drameh. “We want to be a top side so in games like that we've got to get at least a draw and hopefully be challenging for a win.
"But it's all part of a process. Hopefully as we keep working with the gaffer we become a top side and other teams are pleased if they can take a point against us."