Veteran coach Gavin Hunt was sensationally dismissed by Durban City FC on Monday, despite the club sitting in mid-table [eighth] in the Betway Premiership standings, and FARPost has established the three major issues that led to his sacking. The decision was not performance-based but stemmed from deep internal conflicts regarding tactical evolution and the club’s youth development mandate.
The KZN club, which has recorded five wins, four draws, and five losses this season, confirmed they are now seeking a new head coach.
Sources reveal that the club’s hierarchy was essentially dissatisfied with the four-time league winner’s approach to technical analysis and team setup.
Hunt reportedly showed “no interest or regard” for detailed analysis sessions arranged by the club’s analysts. Importantly, he would allegedly leave these sessions and tell players to ignore the analyst’s findings.
The tension reached a peak after the recent 3-1 defeat to Richards Bay FC in the Carling Knockout Cup, where Hunt allegedly ignored the pre-match analysis provided to him, a decision believed to have directly contributed to the loss. However, the club was unable to dismiss him at that time, as they felt the 2025 AFCON break would be the best opportunity to appoint a new coach.
YOUTH POLICY CLASH AT DURBAN CITY FC
A second major factor was Hunt’s refusal to follow the club’s push to integrate young talent, a cornerstone of the club’s long-term vision. The club had specifically demanded that Hunt begin phasing in promising young players like Kaka Sifumba, who had been excelling in the DDC by scoring 10 goals in 12 games. Hunt, however, insisted the youth prospects were “not ready.”
When Sifumba was finally utilised, Hunt played him out of position on the wing. Furthermore, the coach’s usage of key players was questioned, notably playing the proven goal-scoring winger Trevor Mokwena in the number 10 role, while Sifumba was left sidelined. The club’s aim was to maximise these young players’ game time to prepare them for senior roles.
The clash between Hunt’s traditional approach and the club’s desire for a more modern, youth-focused strategy was previously highlighted by former technical director Ernst Middendorp, who reportedly addressed Hunt’s “resistance to evolve with the game” before his own departure a few months ago.
Meanwhile, assistant coach Pitso Dladla will take charge on an interim basis, starting with Wednesday’s fixture against Orbit College FC as the club seeks to secure a win before the upcoming AFCON break.
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