Durban City axe Diski coach Daine Klate after Gavin Hunt exit as technical overhaul continues

Durban City’s turbulent week has taken another major turn with the dismissal of DStv Diski Challenge coach Daine Klate, just days after senior head coach Gavin Hunt was released.

The two had been appointed together at the start of the season, forming a technical partnership the club hoped would unify its first team and youth structures. Klate’s departure rounds off a dramatic collapse of that project.

The former SuperSport United winger, who worked under Hunt for years as a player, was brought in to shape the club’s Diski side in line with Hunt’s senior philosophy. City had envisioned a vertically aligned system, creating a clear playing identity and a pathway for young talent. But those plans unravelled rapidly this week.

Hunt’s dismissal on Monday sent shockwaves across the club, especially as insiders insist the decision was not results-driven. Sources close to the situation say the veteran coach is believed to have lost the changeroom, with several senior players no longer responding to his messaging.

Additionally, Hunt is said to have clashed with the club’s hierarchy over structural and strategic issues, including recruitment oversight and the broader football direction City intended to take. Once Hunt was removed, Klate’s position became uncertain. The club considered him an extension of Hunt’s philosophy, and with the senior team’s structure now set for a complete overhaul, keeping the Diski coach risked creating what officials viewed as an “ideological mismatch” between the development programme and the first team.

Although Klate had shown promise in building intensity and competitive discipline within the Diski side, his connection to Hunt meant his dismissal was widely expected internally. Sources say the club believed a clean break was needed to restore alignment and stability.

For Klate, the decision brings an abrupt end to what he hoped would be a long-term project. After a brief and difficult spell as head coach at Chippa United, the role at Durban City was seen as a platform to refine his coaching identity away from the spotlight, supported by a mentor who knew how to manage his growth. The sudden exit now places him back on the market earlier than expected.

Durban City, meanwhile, find themselves navigating a storm of uncertainty despite closing off their year with a thumping win over Orbit on Wednesday. Within five days, both architects of their season’s technical vision have exited, raising questions about planning, communication and cohesion behind the scenes.

Club bosses maintain the changes form part of a “strategic reset” aimed at repairing divisions and setting a clearer long-term course. But the timing and manner of the dismissals have drawn concern about leadership stability. The club is expected to announce an interim Diski coach before the weekend, while the first team’s temporary structure has already been finalised.

With fixtures looming and pressure mounting, the coming weeks will reveal whether this overhaul brings clarity or exposes deeper structural problems at the newly promoted side. Attempts to reach the club for comment were not successful.