Hunt reveals why he picked Chiefs over Pirates in 2020

Durban City head coach Gavin Hunt has revealed he had the opportunity to coach Orlando Pirates but chose Kaizer Chiefs instead.

After Bidvest Wits was sold in 2020, the 60-year-old coach found himself without a job, but didn’t spend much time at home as Amakhosi called.

Before the sale, Wits was one of the top teams in the league, having won the league two years prior. Top stars such as Vincent Pule, Thabang Monare, Deon Hotto, Ben Motswari and Thulani Hlatshwayo were sold to the Buccaneers.

Hunt revealed that Orlando Pirates were interested in his services around 2020 but chose to join Soweto rivals Kaizer Chiefs instead. After just one season, the former SuperSport United coach was given the boot with just a few matches remaining.

“I would have stayed there longer [if he joined Pirates] because my guys were there and the way Pirates play suited me more, you know,” Hunt said in a podcast.

“Ja, it was going to happen. Maybe I should have gone there, what a bad mistake, you know.”

Hunt stated that he did not join Orlando Pirates because he needed a fresh start and wanted to rebuild a team.

“It wasn’t about money or anything. At that time, I felt at Chiefs there was in a better rebuilding phase there and we could build another team.”

In 2020, Kaizer Chiefs were banned from signing players for two transfer windows following a Fifa punishment in December over the signing of Malagasy player Andriamirado Aro Hasina Andrianamimanana.

Hunt chose Chiefs instead of Pirates

Hunt joined the club during that time and was unable to bring in new players.

“I was told that the transfer band would be lifted, hey said ‘don’t worry, we’re going to build a new team’ and i went ‘that’s what i want’. I felt that sometimes when your players are going to Pirates, i thought maybe a clean break…let me go and rebuild another team. I always like building my own team because then I know I’ll be successful,” he said.