Hunt claims his ‘Wits mentality’ helped Pirates thump Chiefs

Kaizer Chiefs coach, Gavin Hunt was cryptic in his responses after suffering yet another embarrassing defeat at the hands of his club’s bitter rivals, Orlando Pirates who beat them 2-0 on Sunday afternoon to complete a 5-0 aggregate score in the two-legged MTN8 semifinals.

READ MORE: Clinical Pirates put Chiefs to the sword to book spot in MTN8 final

Asked if there was anything he took from the two games, Hunt said there are things he can’t speak of in public but sounded unimpressed with his team, later saying they lacked grit, which Pirates had with the players they got from the now defunct Bidvest Wits, where Hunt was head coach for seven seasons.

When Wits folded at the end of last season, Pirates got Thulani Hlatshwayo, Deon Hotto, Terrence Dzvukamanja and Thabang Monare from the jumble sale that ensued. Hotto gave a Man of the Match performance on Sunday as he mopped the floor with Amakhosi left back Yagan Sasman and assisted in both goals scored by Fortune Makaringe and Linda Mntambo.

Monare has brought stability and mobility in midfield while Hlatshwayo reinforced the defence. Dzvukamanja didn’t play the second leg but set up the first goal in the 3-0 win in the first leg.

“I know (what I learnt from these games) but I can’t say publicly what I know. But I mean I know a footballer, I know a player and I know teams, so if anybody can’t see that then I can’t… I don’t want to elaborate on that,” said Hunt.

He is however not giving up as he claims to know what needs to be done to get his Amakhosi team who have not scored a single goal in five games now, going.

“I know what needs to be done. We have to try and do the best we can (with what we have) there is not much I can say. The younger players got a run in these two games, felt what it’s like, what’s required at this level and that’s pretty much it,” he added.

Hunt also cryptically said Pirates were helped by the mentality that some of their players learned under his guidance at Wits.

‘I can’t talk about those types of things in the media, (but) look at the Wits players in the last two games and that’s the difference. They have the mentality and that’s what a team needs. That’s what we will look for,” said the 56-year-old mentor.

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