Hunt Confident City Is “Building Something Special”
Durban City coach Gavin Hunt remains optimistic about his team’s progress, insisting that the newly promoted side is laying solid foundations despite inconsistent performances in their debut Betway Premiership season.
City fell 1-0 to Kaizer Chiefs at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Friday night, with Flavio da Silva’s late header denying them a valuable point.
Durban City Showing Promise in Debut Top-Flight Season
Despite the defeat, City have made a promising start to life in the top division. They currently sit fifth in the Betway Premiership standings with 15 points from 11 matches — an impressive return for a newly promoted side.
“I’ve been in a lot of football teams, and I know when I see potential,” said Hunt after the loss.
“There’s a lot inside this team that still hasn’t come out. We need to get better at certain things — concentration, key moments, and decision-making. But I believe we’re on the right path.”
Hunt: “We Deserve a Bit More Luck”
Hunt admitted that his side has been unfortunate in recent matches, including narrow losses to Kaizer Chiefs and AmaZulu.
“You need a little bit of luck in football, and we haven’t had much of that — even in the games we’ve won,” Hunt explained. “I thought we deserved more from the last two games, especially against AmaZulu. There’s no doubt about it.”
Building a Young and Ambitious Squad
The experienced coach also acknowledged that Durban City’s youthful squad is still learning to adapt to the demands of top-flight football.
“It’s a young team in its first year in the league,” Hunt said. “This is a new Durban City, built very quickly. Players have come in from all over, and many from last season’s squad have moved on. So, we’re rebuilding from the ground up.”
He added, “These results don’t help immediately, but they build you. They show what needs to improve, and that’s part of the process when you’re trying to form a competitive team.”
Hunt’s Vision for the Future
Hunt concluded by emphasizing patience and balance in their project.
“Are we building something? I think so — and I like it,” he said. “But sometimes you also need to step back a little, not put too much stress or pressure on it. Growth takes time.”
