It don’t come any bigger then this Pitso joins the Wits praise... well sort of
That’s verdict from an elated Wits architect
THIS is the best one‚” Gavin Hunt exclaimed after winning his fourth league title and first for Bidvest Wits in their 96-year history with Wednesday night’s 2-0 Absa Premiership win against Polokwane City.
It is not often you will see a tough-as-nails‚ hard-to-please man like Hunt shed tears.
It said much of the effort the coach has put into building Wits into a force in South African football that Hunt could not hold back the tears in his post-match TV interview on an emotional night at Bidvest Stadium.
After three seasons of being nearly men under Hunt‚ finishing third‚ third and second in the league‚ and with no cup trophies‚ 2016-17 has paid back the dividends and then some for Wits with an MTN8 and PSL double.
In doing so‚ Hunt put to rest suggestions he had lost his league title-winning edge‚ joining Ted Dumitru and Gordon Igesund on four championships.
At 52‚ and with the drive as strong as ever for the ultra-competitive coach‚ there are surely more to come.
“This is the best one. Well‚ every one is the best one‚ isn’t it?” Hunt said‚ having recovered his characteristic gruff composure speaking to the press.
“It’s just crazy. But to do it with a club of this size and magnitude‚ I think it’s a great achievement.
“Like what I did with Seven Stars – for me that’s the greatest achievement ever in my life. To go unbeaten in 75 games.
“This for me is the biggest achievement‚ because taking a club of this size to win in South Africa is not easy.”
Asked about doubts that had been raised‚ compounded by being overlooked for the Bafana Bafana job yet again as Stuart Baxter was appointed this month‚ Hunt replied with his characteristic mix of sarcasm and dry‚ to-the-point humour.
“What do I know about football? I know less and less. Anyway – I’m not going to get involved here now. OK‚ can I go?”
Somewhat awkwardly deflected‚ but point made.
Wits have played an aggressive brand of front foot‚ physical‚ technically proficient‚ percentage football that few teams could contend with in 2016-17.
It was almost a replica of the dominant SuperSport United Hunt guided to successive titles from 2008 to 2010.
Never pleased‚ Hunt believes Wits could have wrapped up the title – going to 60 points‚ four clear of second-placed Mamelodi Sundowns‚ on Wednesday – earlier than with a game to spare.
“To be fair‚ we should have won this league [earlier]. I mean‚ we’ve stumbled.
“In December‚ we drew four games‚ we lost to Cape Town City here in the 90th minute.
“We should have been well clear. But‚ you know‚ we got ourselves back in the race. And any time you make 60 points and above you’ve done well.
“We could have done it much easier. But we’ve done it‚ so don’t worry about it – what’s gone is gone.”
And Hunt has no plans to rest. Success breeds expectation‚ and Hunt knows Wits will want more now they’ve had a taste of it.
“What do you expect? They [the club] are going to expect an improvement. That’s fine if you sign players.
“But I mean‚ we’ve got what we’ve got‚ and we’ll battle away. As long as we keep the mentality of‚ ‘Don’t get ahead of ourselves and battle away’‚ we can achieve.” CAPE Town City coach Eric Tinkler and his Lamontville Golden Arrows counterpart Clinton Larsen were quick to offer their praise of new Absa Premiership champions Bidvest Wits‚ saying they believe the club are deserved champions.
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane who failed to successfully defend the title also congratulated Hunt, but in true Mosimane style, he said winning the PSL does not compare to conquering Africa.
City were still in with a mathematical chance of being crowned champions going into last night’s 1-0 win over Golden Arrows‚ but Wits’ victory over Polokwane City ended those slender hopes.
For Tinkler it is a bittersweet moment as Wits is a club that did much to shape him as both a player and a coach.
As a young midfielder he started and ended his career there‚ and later acted as assistant and caretaker coach between 2005 and 2012.
“I said at the beginning of the season that Wits and Sundowns were the favourites for the title and when you looked at the depth and quality that Wits have‚ you assumed they stood a fantastic chance‚” said Tinkler.
“Congratulations to Gavin everybody at Wits‚ I know they have been wanting it for a few years now.
“Now they’ve finally got it and deservedly so.”
Larsen says he always felt that Hunt would win a title at Wits after making the move from SuperSport United in 2013‚ where he had won three league championships in a row between 2008 and 2010.
“We were speaking about it among our technical team and we knew that with three or four games to go and Gavin is in the front‚ there is absolutely no way he was going to let that slip,” Larsen says.
Mosimane said he told his charges during halftime of their 2-2 draw against Maritzburg United that they should fight for the second position, so as to be in the Caf Champions League for a third season in a row. [Hunt] and