'It's absolute bullsh**t! They’ve got no idea what they’re talking about' - Gavin Hunt

Gavin Hunt describes the notion – espoused recently by the South African Football Association – that his perceived reluctance to take club continental competition seriously should rule against him as a potential Bafana Bafana coaching candidate as “bulls**t”.

Hunt also has said that‚ until contacted by Safa as a potential candidate‚ his focus remains completely on coaching Bidvest Wits.

And even if the coach were to be approached there would be contractual issues and Wits’ permission required for him to even consider the job vacated by Ephraim “Shakes” Mashaba in December‚ Hunt said.

Safa had recently indicated to Times Media that Hunt’s perceived reluctance to achieve success in Africa with Wits counted against him as a candidate for the national team job.

“That’s absolute bullshit‚” the coach responded on Tuesday.

“Because they’ve got no idea what they’re talking about.

“So‚ we [Wits] are going to get relegated but I’ll win the Champions League. Or‚ ‘Oh‚ he’s winning in Africa but can’t win the league domestically’.

• Two Zimbabwean players on trial at Wits hoping to impress HuntBidVest Wits have taken two players from Zimbabwean side Highlanders on trial this week as they look at their squad options for the 2017/18 Premier Soccer League season. 

“What do you want? I mean‚ please‚ just look at the record for the last 25 years as a coach – I’ve never been out of the top six in the league.

“Give me the budgets of those teams [like new African champions Sundowns] and we’ll see where we go.

"But I don’t have them‚ so I’ll continue working with what I’ve got and building teams and players.”

In the past two years Wits‚ fielding under-strength teams‚ exited the Caf Confederation Cup at the second preliminary round 7-3 on aggregate against Tanzanian club Azam and at the opening round on penalties against Swazi side Royal Leopards.

Hunt‚ perennially linked to the Bafana job‚ was spoken of as a potential successor to Mashaba in June last year‚ when SA had no chance left of reaching the Gabon 2017 Africa Cup of Nations with two qualifiers left to play.

The Wits coach stressed then that he was in a good place at ambitious Wits‚ who he has guided to best finishes in the PSL of third‚ third and second in the past three seasons‚ and to this season’s MTN8 glory.

Asked if Mashaba’s dismissal changed his stance‚ Hunt‚ responded: “No it doesn’t change anything‚ because no-one’s approached me‚ no-one’s spoken to me – it’s all media talk.

“They media throw the names around – and some of the names baffle me. So I don’t read anything into that.

• Hunt's Wits side looking for win against Arrows to stay in the huntWinning away in the Premier Soccer League is tough wherever you are travelling to‚ but off-form BidVest Wits can point to a happy hunting ground on their visits to Lamontville Golden Arrows in recent times. 

“The timing with that job is key. And right now they [Safa] don’t seem to know what’s going on. So my focus is here [at Wits].

“And I’m saying this on the record – the timing was right when we weren’t going to qualify [for Afcon 2017] and there were two games left.

“But it was left and now in the world market who are you going to get? Most guys around the world have got jobs.

“But no-one has spoken to me officially‚ now or in July. It was all just media talk. And that’s the honest truth.”

Hunt has won three league title and three cup trophies as a PSL coach.

 - TMG Digital