SuperSport United host Kaizer Chiefs in the Premier Soccer League fixture at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday.
The Swanky Boys coach Gavin Hunt is under pressure to deliver after a poor start to the 2024/25 Premier Soccer League campaign. Despite signing some experienced players Vincent Pule, Nyiko Mobbie, Pogisho Sanoka among others. Shandre Campbell, Etiosa Ighodaro and Phathutshedzo Nange are some of the key players who left.
Hunt extended his deal with SuperSport by two years prior to the start of the new campaign, but the 60-year-old is now battling to keep his job at Matsatsantsa. Why is the game against Amakhosi so important for the veteran tactician?
The MTN8 exit
The 2024/25 domestic season started for Hunt with a tough MTN8 fixture against Orlando Pirates at the Orlando Stadium on September 3.
SuperSport put up a brave fight to end regulation time 1-1 with former Bucs attacker Vincent Pule cancelling Olisa Ndah's initial strike.
However, the eventual defending champions controversially won the game in extra time thanks to Monnapule Saleng and Evidence Makgopa's goals to eliminate Hunt's men.
Carling Knockout humiliation
On Saturday, October 19, the Swanky Boys had a tough assignment against Amakhosi in the Carling Knockout's Round of 16.
The last time Chiefs had won away against Matsatsantsa was in 2021, a nine-match winless run. But Gaston Sirino, Yusuf Maart, Ranga Chivaviro, and Ashley du Preez ensured the Soweto giants claimed a 4-0 win over 10-man hosts who had seen Gape Morale receive his marching orders for two bookable offenses.
PSL's poor outing
Forget the Cup assignments where one can argue the Swanky Boys were paired against some tough sides with a point to prove.
In the league, things have not been running smoothly for Hunt's men. They have suffered losses against Mamelodi Sundowns, Cape Town City and most recently, Orlando Pirates. They have managed to get four points after a draw against Royal AM and a win over TS Galaxy.
What is Hunt's excuse?
After the loss against Bucs, the tactician said he is still rebuilding “You know where the team was, what it’s about, this team has the most trophies behind the big three, it’s no mean feat in 25 years.
“Look around all the teams, look at Orlando Pirates, where do four or five or those players come from, go across the road [Sundowns], look at those players, you know what I’m saying. Youth development is not always about going up, sometimes it’s about going down, but obviously they come up a lot with us. Last year we used 13 players from the Diski team, trying to play CAF too.
“So this catches up with you. This year we played Sundowns away, Cape Town City away, Pirates away twice, Chiefs away, it’s difficult with our squad. We just have to grind on, obviously, keep working on the training ground and doing things that [improve us], yeah it’s the only thing we can do,” Hunt concluded.
Why is the game against Chiefs important for Hunt?
Hunt will be leading his team against his former side on Saturday at the Peter Mokaba Stadium for the second time in a couple of weeks.
The Glamour Boys have been on ascendancy since the appointment of coach Nasreddine Nabi as their new coach. Another loss for Hunt might end up with a warning from the management or the sacking notice for him.
An interesting fixture for either team, the fans and Mzansi at large.
