Gavin Hunt and the three horsemen looking to lead Durban City to the promised land

AT the Durban City FC training grounds, the air is thick with intensity and a renewed sense of purpose.

As the squad sharpens its focus ahead of Tuesday’s home Betway Premiership clash against Siwelele FC at Chatsworth Stadium, the emphasis is not only on tactics and fitness but also on forging a clear identity under a unique blend of coaching expertise.

Assistant Coach Pitso Dladla has been vocal about the importance of recent training sessions, which allowed the technical team to knit together a squad blending veterans with newcomers.

For Dladla, this time has been essential to refine both structure and mentality.

“Some of the players here (in the team) are new, and some are even new in the league. This (the Fifa break) time was crucial for us to strengthen ourselves tactically and ensure a complete understanding of what the technical team wants,” he explained.

“We needed this period (international window) to work with the boys, to continue building. It helped us very much in that regard.”

The club’s emphasis has shifted firmly inward, with training sessions centered on balance and resilience. Dladla says the ambition is becoming a side effective both with and without the ball.

“We just want to be the team that is good without the ball, but you also want to be a team that is good with the ball. We want to improve as a team more than anything else.”

Yet, this project is not just about one man’s vision. Durban City now boasts one of the most intriguing technical benches in South African football.

Alongside Dladla stand Gavin Hunt and Ernst Middendorp, two of the PSL’s most battle-hardened coaches.

Their presence signals that Durban City intends to do more than just survive in the top flight—they want to compete. Hunt brings with him four PSL titles, won with SuperSport United and Bidvest Wits.

Renowned for his no-nonsense approach and ability to stabilize teams, he has built a reputation for squeezing results even under financial or structural constraints.

That kind of pedigree is invaluable for a Durban City side still carving out its top-flight identity.

Middendorp, meanwhile, is celebrated for his tactical rigor and his ability to instill discipline and structure. His 2019/20 campaign with Kaizer Chiefs—where he came within touching distance of a league title—remains a reminder of his capacity to make teams overachieve.

His methods may sometimes be unorthodox, but his knack for drilling defensive organization and game management could provide the stability City needs to navigate the unforgiving PSL landscape.

Together, Hunt and Middendorp form an unlikely but potentially potent alliance. Their experience, paired with Dladla’s hands-on work with the squad, creates a three-tiered coaching dynamic that blends old-school wisdom, tactical innovation, and developmental focus.

Dladla himself acknowledges that execution is paramount at this level.

“The intensity is different. The chances you get, they are minimal. Opponents wait for the mistake, and once you commit, they punish you. Unlike in other leagues where you might get away with errors, here, each and every mistake is punished.”

This sharpening of focus will be critical as Durban City prepares for Siwelele. Dladla refuses to underestimate the opposition, pointing out that while the club may be rebranded, its players are seasoned campaigners.

“We may say it’s a new team, but it is not a new team; it’s just a new name. Look at their players, most of them have lots of caps in this league. We know them, and our coach has coached lots of them, so it’s going to be a tough game," he said. 

Still, belief in home advantage and the growing unity within the squad fuels confidence.

“With the support that we normally enjoy playing at home, we believe that if we do well as a team, we will be able to get the result,” Dladla concluded.

Durban City’s journey is still in its infancy, but with three battle-tested coaches shaping the direction, the question is no longer whether they can compete, but how far this trio can carry the club.

The promised land of PSL success is a steep climb—but with Hunt, Middendorp, and Dladla steering the ship, Durban City may just have the horsemen they need.