OPINION: Is Hunt still a perfect fit for SuperSport United?

Gavin Hunt is a smart coach. He didn’t fluke his way to four league titles. He’ll go down as one of the most iconic coaches South Africa has ever produced but lately, his post-match utterances are starting to sound like someone who has become disillusioned with the project at SuperSport United. 

For a proven winner like him, the run of three straight defeats will cut deep and listening to him trying to explain his team’s early struggles leaves me with more questions than answers. Either he hasn’t accepted that Matsatsantsa a Pitori have become a selling club or he’s indirectly putting pressure on his bosses to invest a little bit more in his squad. 

ALSO READ: Hunt blames injuries and tough fixtures for SuperSport’s bad run

United CEO Stan Matthews has made it clear that their business model requires them to sell their best talents for the right price and Hunt should know this. Complaining about having to rebuild every season is understandable but doing so publicly on a consistent basis doesn’t paint a good picture of the overall synergy at the club. 

I don’t know what irks Hunt more about the direction the club is taking. Is it selling to their Betway Premiership rivals or does he not agree with the stance of cashing in on his star performers? And most importantly, is his profile too big to operate on a shoestring budget? If that’s the case, is he still a perfect fit for the club? Those are the questions I have whenever I listen to the former Bidvest Wits coach.

I would imagine Matthews and the United hierarchy sat the 60-year-old down and explained their vision for the club before he returned two seasons ago. Again, the same conversation will have taken place about their limitations before he extended his stay by another two years at the former league champions before the start of the new season. 

Why did Hunt agree on a new deal if believes the only way to bring back the glory days at SuperSport is to open the cheque book? While I do agree that you need to invest in the market if you’re to fight for titles, the reality is that United are running a tight ship at the moment. 

SuperSport have always relied heavily on their academy for talent and the glowing list of players that have come through their youth ranks makes for good reading. I don’t have to go far to illustrate that point. Ronwen Williams is up for a Ballon d’Or award next Monday and he cut his teeth at the club.

It’s still too early in the season and results change very quickly in football. But right now, Hunt needs to make peace with the squad he has and find ways to improve the team. The depth might be lacking but there is quality and experience in that team. Hunt, a three-time league winner with United and once with Wits, has to somehow find a way of dealing with the selling policy at the club.

ALSO READ: Tyson calls on SuperSport to ‘be strong’ with Chiefs in town again

Lyle Lakay, Vincent Pule, Siphesihle Ndlovu, Terence Dzvukamanja, Pogiso Sanoka, Thulani Hlatshwayo, Nyiko Mobbie and Ricardo Goss are all experienced campaigners. In my opinion, they should be doing better than what we’ve seen so far this season.