“Give Me The Cheque Book”: Hunt’s Bold Plan To Transform Stellenbosch

Stellenbosch coach Gavin Hunt has admitted that his team’s away form has been poor, with no wins in six matches, but insists they will finish in the top four next season.

Hunt, who replaced Steve Barker in January when the club was battling for survival, has overseen a turnaround for the Cape Winelands outfit. Stellenbosch currently sit 10th in the Betway Premiership standings with 33 points from 28 matches.

The defeat to Orlando Pirates at Athlone Stadium last week marked the first time Stellenbosch had lost at home since Hunt took charge.

However, Hunt was not surprised by the result, acknowledging the quality of a Pirates side currently challenging for the league title.

“You are playing Pirates, aren’t you? Let’s be honest, with the form they are in at the moment,” said Hunt in his typically brief manner.

Stellenbosch followed that result with a draw against Durban City at Chatsworth Stadium on Friday, where Hunt faced his former club for the first time since leaving in December.

“What do you expect from a team that is at the bottom of the league? That is expected,” said Hunt.

“We will be up there next season, in the top four next year, don’t worry.”

Hunt’s confidence is particularly intriguing given his suggestion that the club could become more aggressive in the transfer market.

Traditionally, Stellenbosch have built a reputation as a club that develops talent before selling players for significant transfer fees. Dean van Rooyen, Jayden Adams, Iqraam Rayners, and Fawaaz Basadien are among the notable names who moved on to clubs such as Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns.

Despite operating on a limited budget and regularly losing star players, Barker guided Stellies to third-place finishes in each of the past two seasons.

In addition, he led the club to back-to-back MTN8 finals, where they were defeated by Orlando Pirates.

Still, Hunt’s comments should not be dismissed lightly, considering he has won four league titles during his coaching career despite often working with limited budgets.

When asked whether he planned to change the club’s transfer strategy, Hunt was reluctant to elaborate.

“I can’t answer that,” he said before jokingly adding: “I told you, give me the cheque book and we will win the league!” he laughed.

He added: “We will rebuild, with players leaving and others coming in, including loan players. So, we have to rebuild a little bit. The development structures are good, and everyone is working hard.”

Stellenbosch’s final two matches of the season are against Orbit College at home on 16 May and Marumo Gallants away on 23 May.

Despite still having a mathematical chance of finishing in the top eight, Hunt believes that opportunity has already slipped away, even if his side wins both remaining fixtures.