Gavin Hunt coach of Supersport United FC. Picture: Sydney Mahlangu, BackpagePix
AS the country looked ahead to the start of the 2024/25 Betway Premiership season and the experts made their predictions as to which teams will be championship challengers, there was a realisation that not many of them included SuperSport United.
Strange, because if you are a discerning follower of the local game, you’d no doubt have noticed that Gavin Hunt has a squad not too dissimilar to the ones with which he has won his previous championships.
Hunt’s winning teams all had strong defences made up of players who always chipped in with goals from set pieces, and the spine of the team was always solid and hardly changed, while up front he usually had a regular scorer.
Barring injuries to key players, as was the case last season, he has exactly that this time around.
Hunt has a solid defensive unit teeming with experienced campaigners – Thulani Hlatshwayo, Siyanda Xulu and Onismor Bhasera – as well as young and upcoming stars in the likes of Bilal Baloyi, Neo Rapoo and Aphiwe Baliti. And with South African international Ricardo Goss behind them, there’s every reason to expect a very miserly SuperSport defence this time.
Going forward, they will surely be competitive, driven by the likes of marquee signing Vincent Pule from Orlando Pirates, Grant Margeman, Brooklyn Poggenpoel, Phathutshedzo Nange and Tendamudzimu Matodzi.
Of course, the absence of the club’s leading scorer, Bradley Grobler due to injury is a massive blow and they are sure going to miss him. Yet even with that, SuperSport have in Terrence Dzvukamanja an attacking midfielder who can score more than a handful of goals and the Zimbabwean will be able to fill that gap.
Hunt is sure to use Gamphani Lungu as his main striker.
It will be fascinating to see how he sets his team up against Sundowns on Tuesday night (7.30pm).
Midfielder Poggenpoel says SuperSport are excited about getting back into action after a longish hiatus that came about after they were knocked out of the MTN8. “The break has not done anyone good but we worked hard in that time and we have gotten better, stronger and just looking forward to starting the season.”
Having joined from Chippa United, he loves being a member of Matsatsantsa a Pitori
“It’s been great. I’ve really been enjoying it. It is good to be here. The environment is good, the coaches are top, the players are good and the attitude, too. Everyone is here to work hard for the club.”
Poggenpoel says SuperSport have had time to prepare themselves properly for the match against Sundowns.
“The preparation has been good. We’ve been working hard, preparing well and we are looking forward to starting the season now.
“It will be just the attitude and the desire at the end of the day. We just have to go out there and work hard and we will get the results at the end of the day.”
Like any other player, he has personal goals.
“I’d like to win some trophies and enjoy myself and enjoy my football and contribute to the success of the club, which we know is based on hard work and the players will give that.”
He can start by helping them to a winning start in the championship over the defending champions. That would be a serious statement of intent, to show those that excluded them from the championship contenders’ list that they were wrong.
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