Motaun: We weren’t speaking to Amrouche to replace Middendorp

Kaizer Chiefs on Thursday announced Gavin Hunt as their new coach to replace Ernst Middendorp‚ who parted ways with the Soweto giants last week‚ shortly after Amakhosi were pipped to the 201920 Absa Premiership title on the final day by Mamelodi Sundowns.

Despite rumours linking Botswana coach Adel Amrouche with the vacant Kaizer Chiefs post, Amakhosi moved to appoint Hunt.

When asked how the negotiations had proceeded with Hunt, Chiefs Kaizer Motaung did not actually refer to Amrouche by name‚ but his reference to “some other source in Botswana” could only have meant the Algerian-born Belgian national.

Botswana’s national team coach had reportedly told some news outlets in SA that he was in talks with Chiefs.

“Well the negotiations have been going very quietly‚ after the decision we took to relieve the responsibility from the previous coach.

Amrouche was known in SA previously for having been the coach who guided Libya to a 0-0 draw against Bafana Bafana in a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Durban.

On either side of that match‚ the coach had landed himself in hot water with bold statements calling the Confederation of African Football (Caf) a “mafia”‚ and associating Nigerian football with “juju”.

He apologised for the “juju” statement soon after on Twitter.

Hunt joins Chiefs on a three-year contract after a successful seven-year stint at Bidvest Wits — including the 2016-17 Premiership title — came to an end with the sale of the club in the past few months to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila FC‚ who did not retain his services.