OPINION: Hunt deserves one more shot at managing a big team

If there’s one thing that the 2023-2024 season has taught us after 14 rounds of DStv Premiership action, it’s the fact that Gavin Hunt deserves one more shot at managing a big team if SuperSport United continue to operate on a shoe string budget.

ALSO READ: SuperSport targeting maximum points against in-form Pirates

What he’s doing with United with a limited budget and depleted squad that is also made up of youngsters that have been promoted from the Diski Challenge reserve team is remarkable.

Let me put things into context, Hunt lost four of his star performers from last season. Thapelo Maseko and Patrick Maswanganyi joined their title rivals Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates respectively. Jamie Webber also left the Blue Army camp for a better package at Sekhukhune United. As if that wasn’t enough, Botswana international Thatayaone Ditlhokwe also jumped ship and made the dream move to Kaizer Chiefs.

If we’re being honest, SuperSport have no business being second on the log behind the marauding Mamelodi Sundowns. The stage was set for the buccaneers to challenge the Brazilians for the league title after an impressive season where they claimed all the domestic cup competitions on offer.

Against all odds, Matsatsantsa a Pitori keep punching above their weight class. When you consider the amount of traveling they have been doing in the CAF Confederation Cup and having to play majority of their home games in Polokwane, some three hours away from their preferred Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium.

I don’t think the four-time league winning coach gets the credit he deserves for continuously building teams with a squad of less fancied players. With a bigger budget, I think the 59-year-old can once again challenge the juggernaut that is Sundowns.

It was at Bidvest Wits where Hunt also put together a strong team that won the 2016-2017 league crown. That was the last time Sundowns were denied league honours.

The argument will always be that he failed at Chiefs and only lasted eight months but again, let me put things into context.

ALSO READ: Chiefs pull suspended Khune out of Carling All-Stars team

He coached an Amakhosi side that were still banned by FIFA from making any transfers. Let’s not forget that he took the club to its maiden semi-finals of the CAF Champions League in 2021. He deserved more time at Naturena until he was at least able to bring in his own players. 

SuperSport should count themselves lucky to have Hunt at the helm because without him, they wouldn’t be anywhere near Sundowns or Pirates. The only thing he needs is to be backed in the transfer market to break the monopoly Masandawana enjoys in the domestic league.