Following Gavin Hunt’s fractured spells at Kaizer Chiefs and Chippa United, SuperSport United CEO Stan Matthews says his returnee mentor will rise again.
According to Matthews, Hunt has been given a leading role to steer everything within the club as he invites all academy coaches monthly to speak to them on his expectations.
Hunt was appointed by SuperSport at the beginning of the season after he was released by Chippa in November last year, where he won just one game before the trigger happy chairman Siviwe Mpengesi fired him.
This after he had another tumultuous time with Chiefs, who appointed him in September 2020 but he did not even last a season and was sacked in May last year with the 2020/21 season having been left with three games to go. That was despite having guided the club to the historic CAF Champions League semi-final.
With him now back at SuperSport, Hunt looks to be his old self – very jovial and unending jokes and smiles, and that has been complimented by his team heading in the right direction.
SuperSport are third in the DStv Premiership with 21 points after 12 matches, seven points behind log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns.
“Once Gavin wins anything with us, suddenly he’s going to be popular again,” assured Matthews.
“When we face no competition because he was just let go by Chiefs and Chippa, it was difficult for him. But he’s got a lot to prove and he will prove it. When he proves it, suddenly there’s going to be other people who will come up and have interest in him.
“I have lost so many coaches – I lost Pitso Mosimane to Bafana Bafana, I lost Stuart Baxter to Bafana, I lost Gavin to Wits when Brian Joffe was coming and spending big money – so I lost coaches in that way.
“That’s life. Now I’m trying to build a life that will stand a test of times when Gavin’s left. If I leave and whatever the situation is, the club must be strong and Gavin has bought in that philosophy and he’s doing that in terms of coaching and things that are happening in our all structures to strengthen especially the youth.”
SuperSport will resume the DStv Premiership charge against Marumo Gallants at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Friday (19:30).
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Story by Robin-Duke Madlala (@duke_robin).