‘It has been a difficult time frame,’ admits Kaizer Chiefs coach ahead of Sundowns showdown
"I am a new coach and I come into a situation where there is no Black Label Cup, there are no big pre-season friendlies as they used to happen," said Gavin Hunt.
Gavin Hunt has not had long to get Kaizer Chiefs in working order. Pic: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix
Gavin Hunt says time hasn’t exactly been on his side thus far as Kaizer Chiefs head coach, but believes his team will ultimately hit their stride as they prepare to take on Mamelodi Sundowns in a cracker of a Dstv Premiership opener at FNB Stadium on Saturday.
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Amakhosi were rather unconvincing in a 2-1 win over Maritzburg United in the MTN8 quarterfinals last weekend, but they got the job done, and there has to be some grace for all sides, given these bizarre times, where a season finishes in September and the next one starts up again in October.
Hunt has not, in other words, had the kind of pre-season coaches have enjoyed in the past, after stepping in to replace the sacked Ernst Middendorp.
“It affects everybody,” said the Kaier Chiefs coach this week.
“I do know the league, so it makes it a bit easier, but it has been a very difficult time frame to work with the players. I am a new coach and I come into a situation where there is no Black Label Cup, there are no big pre-season friendlies as they used to happen. Those things do help coming to a new club. I haven’t had much time, but you can’t use that as an excuse, you just have to get on with it.
“We also don’t have supporters, and it is very difficult playing in a stadium that size with no one in it,” added Hunt, though a cynic might add that FNB Stadium looks pretty empty even with Chiefs’ regular crowd of a few thousand inside.
“But it is the same for everyone, I think you will see teams getting better, when they start finding their combinations, some teams have new players, for us it is a different story, there has not been much time, but it’ll come.”
Hunt was referring by “different story” to Chiefs’ transfer ban, with the club still waiting for a verdict in their appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland.
He is, however, also used to punching above his weight, so to speak, having consistently challenged big-spending Sundowns when he was in charge for seven seasons at Bidvest Wits.
“It is pretty much the same,” added Hunt.
“We have six or seven youth development players that have come in, and will be more to the fore. From my perspective, I have to work with them and try and improve them, we can’t worry about the ban, if it happens (that it is lifted), it happens, if it is not available (to us), we have got to get on with it and make the best of the situation.”
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