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Hunt predicts Young Player award will go to SuperSport
'I don't know how many other clubs have players under the age of 21,' says Hunt.
Gavin Hunt is hopeful that one of his junior players will win big this season. Picture: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images.
When it comes to individual awards in the Premier Soccer League, the categories are usually revealed at the end of the campaign but for Gavin Hunt, he already believes that the DStv Young Player of the Season gong is heading to one of his SuperSport United players.
Hunt has a number of youngsters at his disposal and that is not by choice. Matsatsantsa A Pitori pride themselves on developing their own players more than they prefer to spend money in the market.
Hunt has players like centre back Caleb Avontuur (19), Thapelo Maseko who is 20 years years old, newly promoted Neo Rapoo is 17 while Cape Town-born Keegan Johannes is 21.
The league awards the Young Player prize to the most outstanding player who is yet to turn 21.
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“We will have a few in the running because we have a few of them doing well in the team. I don’t know how many other clubs have players under the age of 21 but we have a few teenagers who play,” said Hunt, who has a few injuries in his team, adding to the headache he already has where personnel is concerned.
“We have the smallest squad in the league and I have to look at a few positions where we have problems and where we don’t, then I have to be careful in managing the squad for the rest of the season. The most important game in football is the next one and we have to always put out a team that is very competitive,” he said.
The four-time league winner says he might have to bring in a few more players from the DStv Diski Challenge team to help bolster the senior team.
“Bringing in young players started during Covid where the Diski players came into the senior team and we have carried on with that. I have given a number of them some debuts and some of them made debuts last season.
“We will continue with that because it is the policy of the club and we are not a club that typically buys players, we have to produce our own. It was always like that even when I was here the first time so we will see what we do going forward,” Hunt said.
