Midfielder Genino Palace has been in good scoring form for Stellenbosch FC.
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Stellenbosch FC coach Gavin Hunt believes Sekhukhune United's decision to change their coach this late in the season may be a galvanising factor ahead of the Betway Premiership clash between the two sides at Athlone Stadium on Friday (7:30pm).
Sekhukhune United gave former coach Eric Tinkler the boot at the beginning of the week and handed the reins to his assistant Paulos Masehe for the remainder of the season.
Calling on his vast experience in local football, Hunt is acutely aware that this may give the Babina Nako players extra motivation for their trip to Cape Town.
“Sekhukhune obviously just changed their coach. So that's always dangerous, you know, when you play against a team that have just changed their coach,” Hunt said on Thursday.
“It changes them because there are some people who haven't played, who are unhappy, now they're gonna be happy. They've got people who've played, you know, so the reaction is, you always find reaction
“So if you look, if you study it, when coaches leave there's normally an upturn for five games and they go back to normal again. All around the world normally happens like that. So on average, you never know, but certainly, you know, there'll be a new energy, a new vibe, even though it's the same assistant staff.”
It would be fair to say that Hunt has also been a breath of fresh air since arriving at Stellies at the end of last year. The winelands club were in the precarious position of staring the relegation zone in the face when the four-times League winner took charge.
Hunt has virtually achieved his primary ambition of steering the winelands club away from the dreaded drop through an eight-match unbeaten run in the league which has Stellies challenging for a top eight position again.
However, the streak came to a screeching halt in the last game away to Richards Bay when Stellenbosch suffered their first league defeat under Hunt.
The wily tactician is hoping it was a mere bump in Stellies’ road to redemption.
“Well, we obviously didn't have a good result. The last game against Richards Bay away wasn't a bad performance, but obviously we didn't get any points.
“We had a good few chances the first half there and obviously we had a bad decision against us which affected the game, but I mean, that's part and parcel of it and we've got to move on and hopefully, you know, it'll even itself out over the course of the season.
“Obviously, we're at home, home away from home, Athlone. We're gonna have to be really up for it as they're a very experienced side, and they've got a lot of options.
“It certainly won't be easy and they obviously look into their own course and we obviously look at what we're trying to do. We're looking to bounce back,” Hunt said.
Stellies will be hoping in-form midfielder Genino Palace can continue his new scoring touch against Sekhkhune after netting two goals in his last three outings. Palace had only scored once before in 94 appearances.