Gavin hunting for a new Wits contract
Gavin Hunt is set to hold a meeting with the Bidvest Wits hierarchy today, but all the signs are that he will stay on as the Clever Boys head coach.
Gavin Hunt, coach of Bidvest Wits (Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix)
Hunt, who only signed a one-year extension to his contract at the end of last season, is in a healthy bargaining position, having led the team this week to a first-ever Absa Premiership title.
The pressure was on Hunt at the start of this season as he had not won a trophy since joining Wits in 2013, but he has delivered the perfect riposte, winning the 2016 MTN8 and then following that up with the Holy Grail of the Premiership.
READ: Mosimane congratulates Hunt and Wits
“Ask Brian (Joffe, the Wits chairman), I don’t know,” said Hunt, when asked if he would be at Wits next season.
“Now is the time to sign a contract, give him (Joffe) a few whiskies and sign a few contracts. There is a big board meeting today, I have never been to a board meeting. It is a good time to go, while the iron is hot, but it is not just about me, for us to sustain this we need to sign one or two players, plus our youth (players),” added the Wits coach, who said he would be promoting “two or three” more players from the Clever Boys academy to the Wits first team squad.
Wits CEO Jose Ferreira, meanwhile, who has won his fourth PSL title in partnership with Hunt (the trio won three league titles in a row at SuperSport between 2007 and 2010), seemed completely unconcerned about tying his friend down to a new deal.
“I don’t worry about things like that. I don’t have a contract to be CEO of Wits, so when they want me to go, I will go,” said Ferreira.
“If they want me to stay, I will stay, it is the same with the coach. My relationship with Gavin Hunt is unique, the day he wants to leave, and has got something better, I will wish him well. I said as much when there was all the talk about the national team, I said he could go with my blessing. Gavin will be here for a long time as he wants to be here. We don’t need to tie people down with contracts.”
Hunt, meanwhile, said Wits would now release fullback Reeve Frosler to go and play at the Fifa Under-20 World Cup in South Korea. Frosler was expected to fly out yesterday to join his team-mates.
Phakamani Mahlambi, however, misses the tournament with a hamstring injury.
“It is a bad hamstring injury,” said Hunt. “He (Mahlambi) is too fast for his legs. His legs can’t keep up with him.”
