Gavin Hunt can 'apply for the head coach job' after TTM buy Wits

'We love Gavin Hunt," says Tshidino Ndou, the communications manager at TTM. Picture: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix

'We love Gavin Hunt," says Tshidino Ndou, the communications manager at TTM. Picture: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix

Published Jun 15, 2020

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IT is the end of an era for Wits as Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) have confirmed they will purchase the PSL status of the club.

Minenhle Mkhize interviewed Tshidino Ndou, the communications manager at TTM, who spoke on behalf of the chairman, Masala Mulaudzi.  

Minenhle Mkhize (MM): How true is it that Wits’ status was around R60million and when are you filing all the required documents in order for the PSL to approve the deal?

Tshidino Ndou (TN):

We are over the moon to buy the status of Wits. We will be relocating to Limpopo, where we will be based. I can’t go into the financial details.

For now, we haven’t applied for the approval of the PSL. Our focus was on acquiring the status of Wits, which we did. The second process now will be to submit our application to the PSL. Remember, we are still campaigning in the GladAfrica Championship until the end of 2019-20 season.

We can’t take over the ownership of Wits before the current season ends. The status that we’ve bought is for next season. Our president will soon be handling the submission process with the PSL.

MM:

Are you buying the whole team? What will happen to the top players, top earners and the coach, Gavin Hunt?

TN:

We are buying Wits and the players. We completed the deal on Saturday and we can’t talk about players that will be leaving the club. We will sit down and plan the way forward.

We will be going through a restructuring process. That will affect the players and the coaching department. There are players who play good football, but we can’t afford them. Why stand in their way, release them to clubs that will be able to pay them.

MM: What about Gavin?

TN:

I don’t want to say much about Hunt, because he is someone who is respected. I don’t want to downgrade him. I’ll wait until we finish the restructuring process.

We love him. He has done a lot in South African football. We can’t just say: “Gavin, just go away.” It is unfair. The position will be advertised. If we advertise the coaching position for example, he can apply and get the job.

MM:

TTM had issues, relating to players who were owed salaries. Why did the club encounter those challenges, and how are you planning to sustain the club? Do you have sponsors who will be coming on board?

TN:

We will be in a process of engaging with potential sponsors. It is difficult to get sponsors when you are in GladAfrica. Now that we are in top-flight football, sponsors will be fighting to sponsor the team.

As for the players who were not paid, the president of the team (Mulaudzi) has alluded to the fact that somewhere, somehow, we had problems in terms of paying players.

It is not a matter of the club having no money. That problem will be addressed ... Everyone in the team will be going through a performance review. If you come to the PSL with a GladAfrica mentality, you will face relegation or not get sponsorship at all.

@Minenhlecr7

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