Sundowns should be judged in Champions League – Hunt

For almost a decade, Mamelodi Sundowns have been the dominant force in South African football, having won the league seven times since 2013, and are nearing what will be a sixth successful crown.

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Four-time league title winner, Gavin Hunt says Downs need to be judged in the Caf Champions League not domestically, where they usually dominate their opponents.

Sundowns have only lost one game this season in the DStv Premiership against TS Galaxy and have won 11 and drawn just two.

The Brazilians will return to the Champions League when the group stages kick off next month — that is where they need to show their might, according to Hunt.

“Sundowns should not be judged in the PSL. They should be judged in the Champions League. They should be in the semifinals or finals every year.

“That gap is so much bigger than everybody in South Africa and it is unfortunate, but that is the way the game has gone, unfortunately. They have a really good team, good coaches and the club has gone to another level. They put their mouth where their money is and we have to commend them,” Hunt said.

With all indications pointing to Sundowns as the ones who will stand on the winners’ podium at the end of the season, Hunt says he will push his team to fight for a top three finish.

“There is a real fight for second and third because there is a big bunch there. And you have to take into consideration who is spending more money. We have not spent R1 this season. I haven’t bought one player,” he said.

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“We need to fight in our own league. The most important thing is that we have to improve on where we are. We will try to make the team better, which I am trying everyday because that’s all we can do. We have to get closer to Sundowns but come at the end of the season, they will bring in two or three more players, which make it every difficult for the rest of the teams.

“If we can double our points that we have in the first half of the season, we will definitely get near them and we won’t be out of the top three and we will try to do that. If I had my way, I would do a lot but we have a good bunch, at the same time, we need a little bit more and I know what we need,” he added.