Hunt hopes Cup win will spur Wits to better PSL form
WHILE defending PSL champions Bidvest Wits hope to kick on from the weekend’s Telkom Knockout triumph, their coach Gavin Hunt believes the advantage rests with Mamelodi Sundowns and SuperSport United.
Injuries, suspensions and players performing below their potential are some of the factors Hunt reckons places them on the back foot in defence of the title. From 11 league outings the Students have just two victories and nine points.
Saturday night’s cup success against Bloemfontein Celtic in Durban, courtesy of a last minute goal from substitute Vincent Pule, wasn’t vintage Wits and Hunt conceded that “the game could have gone either way.”
“The four games that we won in the cup, if we’d won them in the league we’d be on top of the league; that’s how crazy it is at the moment.
“In the league the team at the top doesn’t even have two points a game. We are 10 points behind with a game in hand; we’re bottom and they’re top. It’s crazy. I don’t think many teams are going to get over 60 points. SuperSport can and Sundowns can because they have good positions in the league and they’ve got the squads. The rest of us will try to catch up.”
It helps though that the defen- sive foundation of their league triumph is restored and Malawian attacker Frank Mhango is back from suspension. He featured in the final but is still not at his sharpest.
“When we get our players back we’re a different team. We look different defensively. I thought defensively we were good. Then BIDVEST Wits midfield ace Ben Motshwari has been linked with two of South Africa’s big guns –Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns.
These are the only two teams in Southern Africa which have the star above their badge, signifying their victories in the Caf Champions League. Pirates triumphed in the -then Champions Cup in 1995, while Sundowns emerged victorious last year.
Motshwari, though, doesn’t see himself leaving Wits any time soon, despite the reported interest in his services. He revealed this after helping his side to win the Telkom Knockout against Bloemfontein Celtic in Durban over the weekend.
“Those are just rumours. Things are being said all over the newspapers, especially about Pirates. It has been going for quite some time now but nothing has materialised. Wits is also a big team. We’ve won a couple of trophies now and why would I want to jump the ship? I’m happy here,” Motshwari explained.
Motshwari also played a pivotal role last they hit the post but I thought 90 minutes overall we were okay,” Hunt said after his reunited back line registered a second straight clean sheet in the final.
With Nazeer Allie and Buhle Mkhwanazi fit again, they rejoined Thulani Hlatshwayo and Sfiso Hlanti for the first time this campaign when they registered season when Wits won the PSL and MTN 8 double.
“There’s something that is good we are doing here at Wits. We have top-quality players here. These guys are my family. Ever since I started playing professional football I’ve only played for one team, so why not end my career here?” Motshwari asked.
It hasn’t been easy for Motshwari over the past couple of weeks as he had to shake off an injury.
“I recently came out from a knee scope. This was the first match that I played after that. For me it was bit of a challenge to come back into the team. With our coach (Gavin Hunt), who is unpredictable, anything can happen. I’m happy with the result that we got here,” Motshwari said.
Motshwari is facing stiff competition from the likes of Granwald Scott, Xola Mlambo, a goalless result at Maritzburg United last week. On Wednesday Wits host Ajax Cape Town, who are also on nine points, and Hunt expects to adjust his squad again.
“We’ll try and juggle a little and see what condition we’re in, but I can’t change too much because we don’t have too much,” he said of their attacking re- Thabang Monare and Phumlani Ntshangase. “You have to have certain number of players who are in the match-day squad. The competition is good and healthy. Sometimes I can go and play wide on the right. Phumlani is a central midfielder but he can also play as a centreback. Our coach know how to rotate us even though we are midfielders. The competition is good for the team,” Motshwari explained. Wits are at the bottom of the PSL log, and will host the struggling Ajax Cape Town at Bidvest Stadium on Wednesday. (Kick off at 7.30pm). “It is bitter-sweet for us to win this cup. We don’t want to see ourselves at the bottom of the log. The next four matches before the Christmas break are key for us. Starting afresh is what we need. We have to collect maximum points in our next four matches,” Motshwari said. sources.
“Pule is not really a striker type, he’s more of a wide player but we played him there because we didn’t really have (options). Last year we had but this year not too much in that position,” said Hunt.
While the coach appreciated the qualities of Pule and Mhango he felt that both were not delivering consistently to their potential, a factor that could be their undoing in the league run.
The league resumes tomorrow with Cape Town City hosting Maritzburg in KwaMashu, Pirates versus SuperSport in Orlando, and Sundowns welcoming log leaders Baroka to Pretoria.