Newly promoted Durban City FC are close to appointing veteran coach Gavin Hunt as their head coach. However, his former SuperSport United captain, Thabo September, has declined the offer to serve as assistant coach.
The KwaZulu-Natal club recently parted ways with Simo Dladla, the coach who led them to promotion to the Betway Premiership by winning the Motsepe Foundation Championship last season.
Dladla has now joined AmaZulu FC, where he began work on Monday as an assistant to Arthur Zwane.
Owen Da Gama, whose exit from Magesi FC was announced over the weekend, and Jwaneng Galaxy coach Sean Connor were considered strong candidates. Connor reportedly turned down the opportunity in favour of his new club in the Botswana Premier League.
Hunt had expressed interest in reuniting with September, who also left Chippa United at the end of last season after guiding them to an 11th-place finish. However, FARPost can confirm that September has declined the Durban role to pursue other projects.
The club is finalising its coaching staff, with negotiations nearing completion.
GAVIN HUNT TO CONTINUE COACHING LEGACY
Before parting ways with SuperSport United, Hunt achieved an unprecedented milestone by reaching 1000 games in charge in the PSL, maintaining a remarkable legacy of longevity.
The 60-year-old has coached a club in the league every season since 1998—a remarkable 27-season run. If his imminent stint with Durban City is included, he would have been in charge of a club for 28 seasons.
Over nearly three decades, Hunt has won four league titles—three with SuperSport between 2008 and 2010, and one with Bidvest Wits in 2017.
He also led Cape Town’s Seven Stars to promotion in the 1998/99 season, where he gave teenage Benni McCarthy his debut, and has been a consistent presence in the league ever since.
His coaching career has included positions at Hellenic, Black Leopards, Moroka Swallows, SuperSport, Wits, Chippa United, and Kaizer Chiefs, before returning to SuperSport in 2022.
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