Former SuperSport United midfielder Jabu Maluleke has spoken about his new role as an Under-19 coach at Matsatsantsa.
Maluleke, who initially re-joined SuperSport as a set-piece coach, also highlighted the importance of working with SuperSport coach Gavin coach.
“It’s a new chapter for me,” Maluleke told FARPost in Cape Town during the 2023 Bayhill Premier Cup.
“It’s a new thing and environment; I haven’t been here before. I am just enjoying it so far.”
The ex-Polokwane City and Black Leopards highly-rated midfielder went on to describe Hunt as his ‘mentor’ and backs the coach to seal a second-place finish in the DStv Premiership.
Jabu Maluleke ON GAVIN HUNT
“Gavin Hunt is our mentor. He is always there to guide us, we are all learning from him, and we are all fortunate to be working with him at training,” he said.
“We are third on the log, we are taking it a game at a time, and the games are becoming fewer, so we just have to maintain our form and winning run.”
At Bayhill, Maluleke’s U-19 troops progressed past the group stages and beat Clover FC 3-1 in the last 16 in the winners’ section.
The quarter-finals brought forth Gauteng neighbours Highlands Park, which ended up at 1-1 in regulation time and extra- time. Leading to penalties where mini-Matsastansta came out victorious, setting up a semi-final against the eventual champions Grassy Park United.
Maluleke has been with the club for about seven months after leaving Venda Football Academy in the Motsepe Foundation Championship at the end of the last season.
The 40-year-old, who is seen as one of the best free-kick takers of his generation, was part of the SuperSport squad that won the league title under Gavin Hunt in the 2009/10 season, featuring in 28 matches and scoring four goals.
He was also at the club when the Tshwane giants won the Nedbank Cup in the 2011/12 season.
“Coach Gavin Hunt is so unique, you can’t even tell what is so special about him. But he is a simple guy, very humble, very open to you. If you need advice, you can go to him; his door is always open,” concluded Maluleke.
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Story by Joshua Hendricks