Relegation-threatened SuperSport United could have paid a heavy price that former head coach Gavin Hunt could not solve after former defender Siboniso Gaxa revealed what made them win successive titles.
SuperSport had to do damage control in one way or another on 21 March, after they relieved Hunt of his duties as the club's head coach, following their struggles to get out of the bottom half of the table.
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In his second stint at the club, the veteran coach had guided Matsatsantsa to a third place finish in the Betway Premiership but there were signs of a decline in his second campaign after United ended seventh, before he was let go with his third campaign left with two-and-half months.
United's biggest mistake could have been an approach of an aggressive youth focus, without the experienced players, with Thulani Hlatshwayo, Pogiso Sanoka, Lyle Lakay, Bradley Grobler and Samir Nurkovic a handful of the veterans.
Because what is special about experienced players is that they tell it is as it, after Gaxa revealed the secret that made SuperSport win the title in the 2008/09 season, in spite of almost battling relegation in Hunt's first campaign at the Tshwane side following the departure of Pitso Mosimane.
"We were struggling (after Hunt replaced Mosimane), we were going down descending to the relegation. So he (Hunt) called a meeting of only the senior players. He asked, 'What is the problem guys!?' The season before we were second, we did well, even season before," Gaxa revealed on Apex Sports International YouTube Channel.
"I think he got me in a bad mood but me I speak my mind. I raised my hand and said, 'You are the problem! Gavin was like, 'What do you mean?' I said, 'This is nonsense football but I used another word. You're telling us to play long ball, you're the problem!' I was upset that day. He closed the meeting, adjourned haha.
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"Jose Ferreira CEO at the time called me to the office and said, 'You're mad, how can you say that to the coach!? He (Ferreira) went hard on me, I was never playing from then on but I was training hard and Gavin saw the other side of me and he adapted to what I said, he changed a little bit of his style and that season we won the league!" the former Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs defender concluded.
The experienced players at United in the 2008/09 season included the likes of Andre Arendse, Ricardo Katza, Morgan Gould, Thabo September, Tsietsi Mahoa, David Kannemeyer, Brent Carelse, Dennis Masina and Glen Salmon among others.
