Gavin Hunt faces early hurdles at Durban City: Balancing old guard with new arrivals

Newly arrived Durban City head coach Gavin Hunt is hard at work preparing for the club’s Betway Premiership return, with early challenges emerging around squad integration and building a competitive, balanced team.

Newly promoted to the top flight, ‘The Citizens’ begin their campaign away to TS Galaxy on Sunday, 10 August, at Mbombela Stadium. 

But while the fixture is just around the corner, Hunt’s focus is squarely on assembling a team capable of surviving — and thriving — in South Africa’s elite division.

In typical Hunt fashion, he didn’t sugarcoat the situation.

“The challenge is to mix the ones we have and the ones that are coming in and try to get the right balance,” he said during the team’s pre-season preparations. 

“The bottom line is results. You can say what you like. But we need to get the balance right and the mixture of the players coming in and the existing players right.”

Durban City, despite their spirited promotion run, chose to part ways with the bulk of that squad. Fewer than 15 players were retained, with just 11 or 12 surviving the cut. 

The club is also promoting a handful of young talents, but Hunt insists the perception that they’ve stripped the team bare is misguided.

“And the thing that goes around that upsets me a little bit is [when people say] we chopped down everything,” Hunt explained. 

“No, we didn’t. I think it’s 11 or 12 that are staying, plus five or six from the DDC. That’s another problem, we need to form a DDC team very quickly because every club has had a DDC team for many years and we haven’t.”

Indeed, City had no DStv Diski Challenge setup during their time in the lower divisions, and the urgent task of establishing one now is a critical part of their Premier Division transition.

“A club of this nature needs a good DDC team. That’s obviously your supply line instead of buying players,” Hunt added, underlining his preference for long-term player development over quick-fix transfers.

To accelerate the transition into top-flight life, the club has turned to familiar figures from Hunt’s past. 

Goalkeeper Darren Keet and midfielder Shawn Poggenpoel — both of whom worked with him at either Bidvest Wits or SuperSport United — have already been confirmed. 

Veteran defender Thulani Hlatshwayo, another trusted soldier from Hunt’s Wits days, is currently being assessed before a final decision is made.

In the technical area, the club has opted for some continuity. Hunt confirmed that Pitso Dladla, a well-known figure in KwaZulu-Natal football, will continue as his assistant.

“I’ll keep Pitso. It’s important to work with the locals. He knows the club, the land, and he knows players in KwaZulu-Natal,” Hunt said. 

“We’re not breaking down everything. I didn’t know Pitso. I only got to know him last week and a half, and we have worked well together.”

With just weeks to go before their Premiership return, Durban City’s preparations are in full swing. 

There are gaps to close and structures to build, but under Hunt’s experienced hand, the project has clear direction — with a few old allies along for the ride.