JOHANNESBURG - Kaizer Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt is aware of his team's underwhelming results this season, but says they cannot afford to panic – considering they have to rely on the players they have.
A season after losing out on the Premiership title on the last day of the campaign, Chiefs have had a disappointing start this term as they are languishing in the bottom half of the standings – thanks to one win, three draws and three defeats.
Much of their problems have come from the fact that they can't sign any players this season due to a season-long transfer ban. But most of the Chiefs faithful had tipped the team to continue where they left off last season, considering it's still the same squad.
Hunt has had his back against the wall, with his troops not coming to the party. They have failed to win their last two matches, drawing with Black Leopards at home last week before losing 2-1 to SuperSport United on Tuesday. The recent defeat to SuperSport further exposed Amakhosi's problems in defence, Bradley Grobler capitalising on a defensive error by Eric Mathoho, while Sipho Mbule scored his team's second before Chiefs got a consolation from a Lebogang Manyama penalty.
“Obviously we are all frustrated because every week, we are giving away a start and then trying to come back from that. I don't think that's something that I am used to. But it is what it is. We'll try to soldier on,” Hunt said.
Chiefs may have problems at the back, but up front they've created chances, which they have failed to bury. The return of striker Samir Nurkovic to full fitness was earmarked as the solution to their problems going forward.
But the striker hasn't featured this season due to issues with the club, with reports suggesting that teams from North Africa - including Al Ahly - are interested in his services. Hunt has identified Chiefs' problems up front but says they can't do much at the moment, as they have to make to with the players they have.
“We created enough chances to win the game (against SuperSport). But we can't give away goals like we did,” Hunt said. “As I said, we've got the players that we got and we've got to soldier on with the players that we got.”
Hunt has always been known for turning ordinary players into exceptional ones. But it doesn't look that will be the case with Chiefs in his first season. Such that the team's poor start has left many wondering whether he is a “perfect fit” for big clubs.
“Obviously things like that get said. But that's obviously part of the game,” Hunt said. “Supporters obviously want to stay with the team, through the good and bad times. But this is a bad time and we all know what the situation is. If you look at football, it could have happened at the beginning of the season. But we should believe in the players that we have. And get them up again. They've got a big fall from last season where they were in front.”
@MihlaliBaleka
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