Chilli Boys serve divorce papers on Hunt after 5 months on the job
Senior player Lentjies appointed caretaker coach
PSL outfit Chippa United have fired their head coach Gavin Hunt after suspending him for at least three weeks.
Sunday World can reveal that United expelled Hunt from the club last week and the club is hunting for his replacement across the waters. As a stop-gap measure, senior player Kurt Lentjies was roped in as caretaker coach two weeks ago.
News that the Chilli Boys have red-carded the former Kaizer Chiefs mentor was revealed by a top official, who did not want to be named for fear of being accused of leaking sensitive information about the Gqeberha, Eastern Cape-based club.
The club issued a statement last month announcing that it had taken a decision to suspended Hunt after the lackadaisical performance of the team, which is languishing in second place from the bottom of the Dstv Premiership log before this weekend’s matches.
“Following the club having endured its worst start to the league with 10 matches and only one victory, the club has placed head coach Gavin Hunt on precautionary suspension, whilst it investigates the matter according to its internal processes. In the absence of the head coach, Kurt Lentjies will take up a caretaker position and shall be assisted by Siyabulela Gwambi,” it said.
After suspending him, United boss Siviwe “Chippa” Mpengesi, who played his cards close to his chest, left the club’s legion of fans hanging in the air wondering about Hunt’s future with the team.
But the top official said Hunt was now hunting for a job as he and Mpengesi had agreed to part ways.
After a marathon discussion, Hunt accepted what the club was offering and sent it [settlement] back to Mpengesi who, in principle, agreed to sign it.
“He has not signed it, he is just waiting to put pen to paper to officially release him from the club.
We expect him to sign the settlement today or tomorrow after which the two will jointly issue a statement announcing the termination of the contract,” said the official.
Mpengesi declined to comment on the matter.
Former Bidvest Wits coach Hunt, who joined United in July this year, will look back on 2021 as the worst year of his illustrious career as coach. He was axed from his job as Kaizer Chiefs head coach in May. Hunt declined to comment.
Hunt boasts an impeccable record of having won three straight league titles and a Nedbank Cup trophy with Supersport United, thereafter he won his fourth title in 2017 when he guided Wits to two cup titles, the MTN8 and the Telkom Knockout.
Today’s PSL fixtures: Royal AM v Arrows (Chatsworth, 3.30pm); Maritzburg v Stellenbosch (Harry Gwala, 5pm); Chiefs v Sekhukhune (FNB, 6pm).