Cape Town - Last season Mamelodi Sundowns were unstoppable on their run to the DStv Premiership title, and their rivals were reduced to a speck in their rearview mirror.
The same can't be said this season, even though log leaders Sundowns are five points clear of nearest rivals, rookies Richards Bay, who with 13 games, have played one match more. There is nothing to suggest that Sundowns are unstoppable and in October Orlando Pirates served a reminder that anything is possible after defeating Sundowns 3-0 in the MTN8.
Behind Richard Bay is Gavin Hunt's SuperSport United, who produced a strong finish to 2022 and now it seems they are mounting a title challenge from the shadows. Former Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane recently warned that Hunt has “reinvented himself” at SuperSport.
He praised SuperSport CEO Stan Matthews for his vision to appoint Hunt after failed spells at Kaizer Chiefs and Chippa United.
“After the difficult spells at Chiefs and Chippa, Hunt is now back at SuperSport, a club he previously had huge success with,” said Mosimane.
“He appears to have reinvented himself at Matsatsantsa who have already established themselves as PSL title contenders. SuperSport are third on the PSL standings, seven points behind log leaders Mamelodi
Sundowns.”
The PSL teams have had to deal with the unusual scenario of training through the Christmas - Boxing Day period because of the recent Fifa World Cup break and Hunt feared his players would take their eyes off the ball and be overwhelmed by festivities.
His primary focus was to keep the players focused on the task at hand.
“For the ordinary South African, when it gets to about December 15, people just see the moon and the stars, and then it’s party time,” Hunt said.
“From December 25 to January 2, Christmas and New Year, everybody goes crazy.”
When SuperSport resume their 2022/23 campaign against Marumo Gallants at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Friday, it will be their 13th game in the DStv Premiership.
Some 20km away, Sundowns will host Pirates at Loftus Versfeld and Hunt will be keeping one eye on the outcome there while preparing his players for Gallants.
He also had some advice for Kaizer Chiefs target Luke Fleurs, who has been reportedly offered three times what he is earning at SuperSport to join the Glamour Boys.
“I always say to any player that has a lot of media hype around him to treat the game with respect, train properly, play properly do right things and the game will take care of you,” said Hunt.
“It’s important for players to understand that.”
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