Hunt Warns Stellenbosch Face Settled Chiefs

Stellenbosch coach Gavin Hunt has raised concerns that Kaizer Chiefs appear far more settled than his side ahead of their Nedbank Cup Round of 32 showdown at the DHL Stadium on Wednesday.

The encounter will be the fourth meeting between the two teams in the Nedbank Cup, with Kaizer Chiefs having won all three previous cup clashes against the Cape Winelands outfit.

Stellenbosch go into the match looking to bounce back from a disappointing 3–0 defeat to CR Belouizdad in the CAF Confederation Cup group stages on Sunday. Their struggles have also carried over into the domestic league, where they are currently placed 12th in the Betway Premiership standings with 15 points after 15 matches.

Hunt admitted that Chiefs’ stability and form give them an edge, particularly as Stellenbosch continue to integrate several new players into their squad.

“I think if you look at their players, they’re much more settled than we are,” said Hunt.

“We’ve had a lot of new players come in. You don’t normally do a lot of activity in the mid-season window, so it’s difficult, but I think we needed to bring in a few players in certain areas, and they will certainly help us in the long term.”

Despite the challenges, Hunt believes matches of this nature are crucial for his side’s development, especially with a focus on improving their league position.

“I believe these types of games are good for us, especially when the league comes around, because at the end of the day we need to improve our league position, that’s for sure,” he added.

“They are a much more settled team and obviously they’re on a better run than us. They’ve won quite a few games now.”

The former Chiefs coach also pointed out that the Glamour Boys are often more dangerous away from home, largely due to the strong support they receive outside Johannesburg.

“I think Chiefs are more dangerous away from home than they are at FNB Stadium,” said Hunt.

“They get bigger support away from home — Durban, Cape Town, PE. They get more people there than at their home games. Let’s be honest, we know that.”

Hunt welcomed the strong attendances at local matches, saying it reflects a positive shift in South African football culture.

“There’ll certainly be more support here in Cape Town than at FNB, and I think it’s fantastic and good for South African football.

“Look at last week with Orlando Pirates and the crowd they got for the Magesi game. There’s a real push in the local league to get more people into stadiums, and that’s been great to see.”