Hunt has plan if Chiefs’ transfer ban appeal fails

Kaizer Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt has explained his strategy for success in the 2020/2021 season even if the club fail to overturn a transfer ban at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas).

Chiefs are banned from signing players for two transfer windows related to the signing of the Madagascan player Dax in 2018‚ complicating new coach Hunt’s first of three years at his first big three club.

Hunt said he had a squad who showed last season they were capable of challenging for the DStv Premiership.

They had finished runners-up in a dramatic twist on the final day having led for almost the entire campaign.

He said that disappointment could be turned into motivation‚ because the players had a lot to prove.

Four-time PSL winner Hunt‚ who replaces Ernst Middendorp after Chiefs decided not to continue with last season’s coach‚ also pointed to the club’s promising academy products.

Chiefs kick off their season with Sunday’s MTN8 quarterfinal against Maritzburg United at the FNB Stadium.

“Chiefs did very well last year and were very unfortunate, so we’ll try to work with that and hopefully the ruling will be made sooner rather than later‚” Hunt said.

“There’s not really much I can say about the whole thing.

“The players have been very committed in training, but the proof will be on Sunday and [we’ll] see how [it goes].

“I’ve only been here 2½ weeks and we did miss a week because the players had a break.

“But no excuses. The good thing is I know the players‚ I know what we’re facing and what we’ve got in the squad.

“So I have to work round that and there are quite a few good young players here who certainly will get their chance.

“But [on older players] I always say that if you’re good enough and can still do the job, it doesn’t matter what your age is.

“But we have to balance the two [youth and age] because of the situation at the football club.

“I’m very confident in the players we have got.

“Some you mention as ‘old players’ but‚ ja‚ they’ve done well‚ they’ve worked hard and I’m sure they’ve got a lot to prove as well going forward.”

Chiefs presented their appeal case to Cas on September 9 and are awaiting the outcome.

Hunt was asked how he could approach the situation while he waited and if he could identify targets in the meantime with the hope of signing them should Chiefs get a positive ruling.

“It’s very difficult to try to sign players and promise them that the ban will be lifted‚” the coach said.

“If you look at the flipside of it‚ I think it’s important that a lot of the players who were here last year can prove again that they can do it.

“And that’s a great opportunity, because it’s exactly the same squad — there’s nobody new or who’s gone out.

“On signing of players‚ it’s at an administration level and there’s nothing I can do about it.”

Chiefs drew 1-1 against Baroka FC on the final day of the Covid-19-affected 2019/2020 Premiership on September 5‚ allowing Sundowns‚ as 3-0 winners against Black Leopards‚ to sneak in for the title. — TimesLIVE