Durban City FC head coach Gavin Hunt has given his assessment of his side’s latest league victory, while pleading for a break after spending more than three months in Durban.
Hunt’s troops collected another victory in the Betway Premiership on Saturday, coming from behind to beat Magesi FC 3-1 at Chatsworth Stadium in Durban.
The 2024/25 Motsepe Foundation Championship winners registered their fourth victory in nine league games this season. A relatively impressive record for a newly promoted team as they now occupy third position on the log.
Speaking to the media, Hunt lauded Durban City players’ efforts in clawing back against what he described as a highly physical Magesi team.
“All in all magnificent effort and togetherness, and that was important. They [Magesi] were a difficult team; they were a strong physical side, but the game was good,” said Hunt.
Durban City’s next assignment is a clash against Polokwane City FC for their first top-flight cup competition this season. Hunt and his men will look to transfer their unbeaten home record to the Carling Knockout Cup when they welcome Rise and Shine on Friday.
Hunt revealed that, like Magesi, he is expecting a physically daunting battle from their next opponents.
“Yeah well, the Carling Cup, I will see what I can do with that. I will not be easy, we are playing against another physically strong side, a quick side, so it will not be easy,” he predicted.
GAVIN HUNT YEARNINGLY AWAITS A BREAK FROM FOOTBALL
The PSL has so far seen a congested schedule of fixtures with teams playing an average of two between seven days. With Cup fixtures, international breaks and the looming Africa Cup of Nations [AFCON], it always promised to be a bumper-to-bumper kind of season.
The nomadic nature of professional sports means coaches and teams are constantly travelling across the country, leaving little time for rest. Just three months into his new job, the former Kaizer Chiefs coach believes this unrelenting schedule means he and his colleagues are already deserving of a break.
“No the break is good for us, we need a break, we need a day off. If I can get few days off that’s going to be another story. Just take leave, go away and go for a walk,” added Hunt.
In a rather understated remark, the coach highlighted the personal strain of the job, simply stating, “I haven’t been home for three and a half months; I need to go home.”