Hunt in MTN battle of wits
BIDVEST Wits just need to break through a ceiling and then the trophies will come‚ said coach Gavin Hunt ahead of today’s MTN8 final against Mamelodi Sundowns at Nelspruit’s Mbombela Stadium.
Wits have been nearlymen under Hunt‚ the three times in succession Premier Soccer League title winner with SuperSport United from 2008 to 2010.
In three years Hunt and his former SuperSport CEO, Jose Ferreira, have built the Clever Boys into a formidable force capable of challenging for trophies. But so far‚ also one that has fallen at the last hurdle‚ including their league finishes of third‚ third and second.
Hunt knows it will be tough against the best team in the country right now‚ and one of the most formidable in the PSL era‚ in Sundowns.
But the coach also knows this season’s is the strongest squad he has assembled yet at Wits‚ and today could be the time for Wits to get their breakthrough strike at a trophy.
Asked if it plays on his mind that Wits have yet to win silverware under him‚ Hunt replied: “I’d be lying if I said no‚ wouldn’t I?”
Then he half-joked: “Although the most important thing for me is to pay my bond at the end of the month.”
Hunt continued: “But ja‚ look‚ I think people don’t understand, they see you sign a few players and they think‚ ‘Ah‚ you must win things now’.
“We’ve got to change the whole mentality of Wits. Wits have always been a battling club and we need to change that mindset‚ and try to be competing‚ and getting closer and closer.
“And I think in the last three seasons we have gotten closer but now we need to change it and we need to break through, “the coach said.
“And if it doesn’t happen on Saturday‚ we’re going to be trying next week again.
“I don’t know what else to say. Yes‚ we are disappointed. We’ve got a very demanding owner [Brian Joffe]‚ like Sundowns have [Patrice Motsepe].
“They all want success. It’s like every other owner. But we’ve also got our own internal desire. We drive that through the players and technical staff and everyone else.”
If Wits are to win their first trophy since the 2010 Nedbank Cup‚ then players recruited with big match temperament‚ cup final experience‚ and trophy-winning mentality such as Daine Klate‚ Elias Pelembe and Sifiso Myeni are likely to play a key role.
“There are no team talks or ‘Any Given Sunday’ speeches – we don’t have to do anything like that. A lot of these players have done it all before‚” Hunt said.