Hunt eyes Caf Champions League title
Gavin Hunt says it will take a combination of ambition, squad size and luck if Bidvest Wits are to challenge in next year's Caf Champions League.
Coach Gavin Hunt of Bidvest Wits (Photo by Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images)
The Clever Boys’ 1-0 win over Bloemfontein Celtic in Saturday’s Telkom Knockout final meant that Hunt became only the second coach, along with Pitso Mosimane, to win all of the Premier Soccer League’s trophies.
It was a woeful game at the Princess Magogo Stadium, with one comment from the stands suggesting “it was like watching someone welding” not far from the truth.
But Hunt could hardly have cared as Vincent Pule’s last-minute goal got his side over the line, and got him the only piece of domestic silverware missing from his personal cabinet.
READ: Pule late show wins the TKO for Wits
There does remain, however, a lack of success on the continent, where Mosimane, of course, won the 2016 Caf Champions League with Mamelodi Sundowns.
“The clubs I have worked with, to be honest, don’t want to be in Africa,” said Hunt, who has coached both SuperSport United and Wits in the Champions League.
“So it is something we will have to tackle next year, but we have to have squad for it .. I thought last year we were very unlucky in Africa, we lost 1-0 to Al-Ahly over both legs playing our third team. We must see the draw (for 2018) first, as long as we don’t get someone … we will see the draw …. and what our position is in the league.”
Wits are rock-bottom of the Absa Premiership, after a dreadful start to the defence of their league title, though they are only 10 points off the top, in an absurdly congested 2017/18 campaign.
The Clever Boys do not have long to celebrate their TKO win, with a home game against Ajax Cape Town coming up on Wednesday night.
“As I said to the players now, the four games that we have won in the cup, if we had won the four in the league we would be top of the league, that is how crazy this league is,” said Hunt.
“In the league this year, the top team don’t even have two points a game. I don’t think anyone in this league can get over 60 points, maybe SuperSport and Sundowns can, they are in a good position in the league, the rest of us are trying to play catch-up.
“It is important to take stock … we have a good togetherness, that always worries you when you are bottom, but we are together, we are fine.”
