The world of football is caught up in a whirlwind, Hurricane Erling Haaland, the Norwegian wreaking havoc in England and the rest of Europe. We are all in awe.
However, I’m talking about a man who, a few years ago, pitched a tent at Mount Naturena whose arrival sparked hopes that happy days were on the horizon. When the t’s and i’s were crossed and dotted on a three-year contract, Kaizer Chiefs fans were enveloped in delirium. It was as if the biblical Moses had arrived to liberate them from slavery to take them to the promised land of milk and honey.
When a call came from the Eastern Cape, it was pregnant with the promise of a righting wrongs at Naturena. But the move from Chiefs to Chippa United proved akin to jumping from the frying pan straight into the fire.
A few days later trigger-happy Chippa boss Chippa Mpengesi stated in a long statement that his Hunt was for keeps. He was categorically clear that he would desist from the infamous dismissing coaches at the drop of a hat.
It was no surprise when a few months after their marriage he served Hunt with divorce papers. Once more the four-time Premier Soccer League-winning coach found himself a statistic in the country’s forever mounting unemployment numbers.
Look at Gavin Hunt today. Unlike Haaland, whose name is on everyone’s lips after capturing the world’s attention, Hunt has quietly been working to remind us of his capabilities.
After rocky affairs in the south of Joburg and Gqeberha, he went back to rekindle his love affair with SuperSport United, the club where he established himself as a championship-winning coach with three successive PSL titles. His fourth came at the now defunct Bidvest Wits.
After rocky affairs in the south of Joburg and Gqeberha, he went back to rekindle his love affair with SuperSport United, the club where he established himself as a championship-winning coach with three successive PSL titles
The SuperSport he returned to had been stripped to the bone of stars — Grant Kekana, Aubrey Modiba, Teboho Mokoena, Ronwen Williams and Sipho Mbule — to crosstown rivals Mamelodi Sundowns. Of course, they went there out of their own free will and Stan Matthews is happy to collect the millions that come with the transactions.
Hunt has whipped what he found into shape. They started slowly. But look at the log table today. They occupy third spot, having registered three victories on the trot. That has helped them take their tally of points to 17, the same number as Richards Bay, who were due to meet Orlando Pirates in a late kick-off last night
No, this columnist is not claiming that Hunt will win the league. What I am saying is that he has covered good ground with a rash of hungry players working in tandem with some old warhorses guiding the greenhorns.
Captain Onismor Bhasera was one of the league winners with Hunt at Wits and has bucket-loads of experience. Everyone who knows their shoulder from their elbow will know that the apple did not fall too far from the tree with with one of their sharpshooters, Les Grobler’s son Bradley.
He knows his way to goal and despite suffering a number of injuries, when he is on the field you discount him at your own peril. And, oh, there is that life of the dressing room, the energetic Thamsanqa Gabuza, the striker who is happiness personified. This duo were on target when they helped their team to a 3-1 victory on Friday night, which saw them climb to their current position.
Hunt has this thing of saying he can collect 12 points from a possible 15 in five matches — the total from 30 matches adds up to a healthy tally.
He will be quietly hoping to be in that zone and with his trusted lieutenants, Grant Johnson and Andre Arendse, three wily old heads who have all worked their way up the championship road.
Beware of the quiet Hunt revolution. This is his chance of redemption, a chance to prove he is not yesterday’s man.
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