Hunt not part of the Wits pack age
SOLD: NO STATEMENT AS YET FROM THE MILPARK CLUB
Gavin Hunt confirmed yesterday that he will not be staying with Bidvest Wits in their new incarnation as Thakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM), meaning the Clever Boys head coach is likely to be a target for many top clubs ahead of the start of the 2020/21 Premier Soccer League campaign.
TTM confirmed on Saturday evening that they had bought Wits and all their players, though the plan seems to be to sell off as many as possible to reduce their wage bill.
Wits have made no statement on the sale as yet, while Phakaaathi understands that even the coaches and players have still not received any official communication from the club. The Bidvest Group have refused to comment, but it now seems a deal has been signed and sealed.
“I don’t want to say too much, I have to keep my mouth shut,” said Hunt yesterday.
“(But) it’s a sad day, this is one of the oldest clubs in the league, it would have been 100 years old next year, and a lot of hard work has gone on behind the scenes. It is a sad day for the staff, for a guy like George Mogotsi, who started as a driver there and ended up as a director.”
TTM have effectively bought their place in the Absa Premiership next season, and former Wits, Sundowns and Bafana Bafana defender Matthew Booth questioned the rules around the purchasing of franchises.
“It is disappointing that an institution like Wits can just change its name and location. I have noticed this fashion of selling clubs throughout the tiers of South African football and it has made me very uncomfortable,” said Booth.
“I would encourage (the PSL) Board of Governors to take a stronger stance. You are not able to generate a support base, with clubs being nomadic by nature. And also it is not fair to the players under contract at Wits and the coaching staff. Imagine what is going through the mind of Gavin Hunt? He now has to lift his players for the last nine games of this season and the Nedbank Cup.”
Hunt added that while Wits hoped to get back to training soon, with the government giving permission for training for contact sports under Level 3 of lockdown, the club had yet to receive any protocol from the Premier Soccer League on a return to the training field.
“There has been no directive as yet,” added the Wits coach.