The Amakhosi tactician has expressed delight as his players’ response to his tactics since assuming work at Naturana
Kaizer Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt says victory in Sunday’s MTN8 quarter-final clash against Maritzburg United will be “proof” from his charges of their hard work in training.
It will be the coach’s first competitive match as Chiefs coach after being appointed in September.
Having worked with Chiefs players for almost three weeks now, Hunt is satisfied with the work ethic shown by his men, something he says is the recipe for victory against Maritzburg.
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“Chiefs did very well last year and were very unfortunate. So we’ll try and work with that and hopefully, the ruling will be made sooner rather than later‚” Hunt told the media as per Sowetan Live.
“There’s not really much I can say about the whole thing. The players have been very committed in training. But the proof will be on Sunday and see how [it goes]. The coach has declared that given their preparations for Sunday’s match, there will e no excuses for a negative result.
“I’ve only been here two-and-a-half weeks‚ and we did miss a week because the players had a break. But no excuses.
“The good thing is I know the players‚ I know what we’re facing and what we’ve got in the squad. So I have to work around that‚ and there are quite a few good young players here who certainly will get their chance.
“But [on older players] I always say that if you’re good enough and can still do the job it doesn’t matter what your age is. But we have to balance the two [youth and age] because of the situation at the football club.
“I’m very confident in the players who we have got. Some you mention as ‘old players’. But‚ ja‚ they’ve done well‚ they’ve worked hard and I’m sure they’ve got a lot to prove as well going forward.”
Hunt arrived at Chiefs to find a Fifa player transfer ban sanctioned against the club, a scenario which has tied his hands in the transfer market.
But the former Bidvest Wits duo of Phathutshedzo Nange and Sifiso Hlanti are training with the Soweto giants in the hope of being signed if Chiefs’ appeal against the transfer an is successful.
“It’s very difficult to try and sign players and promise them that the ban will be lifted‚” said Hunt.
“If you look at the flip side of it‚ I think it’s important that a lot of the players who were here last year can prove again that they can do it. And that’s a great opportunity.
“Because it’s exactly the same squad – there’s nobody new or who’s gone out. On signing of players‚ it’s at an administration level and there’s nothing I can do about it.”
Chiefs’ MTN8 bid is a continuation for their search for a first trophy since winning the 2015 Premier Soccer League title.
