Hunt reveals how Bobby Motaung convinced him to take Chiefs job

Former Kaizer Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt has revealed that he was initially uneasy about joining Kaizer Chiefs after they released Ernst Middendorp who had finished second the previous season. 

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Hunt joined Amakhosi at the beginning of last season but was fired after eight months on the job. He is currently jobless after he was also fired at Chippa United this season. 

Speaking on Diski Talk With Luyolo, Hunt revealed the details that led to him accepting the job he had initially been uneasy with. 

“When I got a call from Bobby Motaung, my first thought was ‘why are you getting rid of the coach who came second in the league?’. 

“Ernst Middendorp lost the league in the last 20 minutes. He did a good job,”  said Hunt. “He lost in the Nedbank Cup final. But I think they were tired of Ernst or whatever. My worry was that if I came and finished in third place the next season, they would fire me. But then the things that Bobby told me, that I would be in charge of the team, they got me convinced.

“They said give us a list of players that you need, it was a whole professional plan. The list of players I needed got out somehow in the media, so there was a little bit of dishonesty from wherever.”

One of the things that didn’t work out in Hunt’s favour at Chiefs was his bold move to get rid of all the senior players and rebuild with youngsters. He still maintains he was on the right track as the side needed refreshing. 

“I was watching Chiefs from the outside in the past six years and they needed change, not in coaching but in personnel. The players I found there are still there from when they won the league seven years ago. That can’t be right.

“I am not saying they are not good players, but the energy and the desire is not the same. It can’t be right, so you need to change.

“Geoff Butler got to Chiefs and got rid of Ace Ntsoelengoe and Teenage (Dladla), the greatest players in the history of the club. The supporters wanted to kill him. (But) The next season, he won five trophies… every team needs revival at some point.”