Gavin Hunt explains SuperSport United slow Betway Prem first round

The four-time title-winning mentor has come under scrutiny so far this season, with Matsatsantsa currently sitting outside the top eight and battling to keep up with Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates at the summit of the standings.

With 14 matches played, SuperSport are in ninth place after losing six games, winning four and drawing the same number, but Hunt explains the slow start. 

"We've been decimated with players, we lost a lot – yes, we've replaced them, but when you lose your team, with a lot of players – like at the start of the season, we lost three or four big players [through injury], that haven't played much this year," said Hunt.

"Our captain [Thulani Hlatshwayo] hasn't played much, [Grant] Margeman, Bradley [Grobler], and now you're trying to find replacements – and we haven't had the strength in depth.

"So that's all the excuses, we put it aside, but let's be honest, we haven't had a settled eight, nine or 10 players in the team – there's been a lot of upheaval here and there, and that comes with not winning too many games."

SuperSport have brought in midfielder Lebo Maboe, as well as wingers Christian Saile and Enoch Quaicoe in the January transfer window, but Hunt argues the market no longer offers much. 

"The market is not there to just go and get players, there's not much of a market anymore – in the old days there were a lot of players, and the good ones get snapped straight away," he added.

"And [clubs] hold onto them, even though they don't play – a lot of these squads have players that sit in the stands who could do a hell of a job, and that just weakens the level a little bit.

"So it's very difficult to get players in this market, and obviously the haves and have-nots are so big now – the disparity between the rich and the poor, if you want to call it, in terms of salaries and things like that." 

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