Hunt predicts likely challengers to Sundowns’ crown

SuperSport United coach Gavin Hunt has given his views on which team is likely to close the gap on Mamelodi Sundowns in the 2022-2023 DStv Premiership season.

The Brazilians have made a mockery of the competitive nature of the domestic league winning it for a record-extending sixth season in a row.

Sundowns strolled to league glory last season with seven games to spare. However, Hunt is optimistic that the title race will be much more competitive next season.

“They can’t be winning the league by 70 odd points. I think Orlando Pirates will be better and I think Kaizer Chiefs have signed well this year. They have a good squad of players and I think they will be better,” Hunt said.

“Cape Town City will always be competitive. So those are teams team that could take points off one another.

“Where we need to improve on is what we didn’t do better against the bottom teams last year, we did well against the top teams. When we won the league, we were beating those teams so that’s where we need to do better.

“The reason I think we didn’t beat them is that the level of everyone is on a similar basis from two down to 15 but certainly two or three teams will be better this year in what they’ve done by signing better players, no doubt about it.”

Is it still a competitive league?

Over the past decade, Sundowns have won eight of the Premiership titles on offer but the four-time league winning coach doesn’t agree with the notion that local league is not competitive anymore.

“Listen, they ( Mamelodi Sundowns) are a club that has finally found the formula after all the years and you have to commend them because they have put their money where their mouth is,” Hunt said.

“They go out and get what they want. I heard a statement saying we have to train more but it’s very simple what we need to do. I think the league is good, Sundowns won it but I don’t think it was easy, if it was then they would be winning 5-0 every week.

“There are lot of games that were close but I think they’ve got a lot of quality but we have to commend them. I see it as something to strive for.”