‘My relationship with him is my size eight foot up his backside‚’ says Gavin Hunt on Daine Klate

Daine Klate has done more for Gavin Hunt than any other player‚ his head coach conceded of the contribution the now six league title-winning winger has had for the Bidvest Wits mentor.

Hunt‚ though‚ said that‚ in his own words‚ he had to have his boot up Klate’s posterior at times this season to get the best from a player with whom the coach now shares four championship medals.

Klate won his sixth league medal‚ and scored the second goal‚ in Wits’ Absa Premiership-clinching 2-0 win against Polokwane City at Bidvest Stadium on Wednesday night.

Afterwards the left wing‚ the most decorated footballer in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) history‚ revealed that he and Hunt have had their run-ins this season.

• Moeneeb Josephs on Wits’ PSL victory – ‘Gavin’s a p**s‚ man‚ that thing!’Few players at Bidvest Wits can express their feelings with quite the succinctness‚ nor apt dose of expletives‚ as goalkeeper Moeneeb Josephs. 

Disciplinarian Hunt‚ known for pushing his players to the limit on the training field‚ also said he had given special attention to motivating Klate at some stage this season‚ during which the player’s wife and children moved back to his original home in Port Elizabeth.

“My relationship with him is my size eight foot up his backside‚” the hard-to-please Hunt said.

“He waned a little bit this year‚ he knows that‚ then he came back a little bit. And then tonight is the game and he did it – because that’s where he’s good.

• Hunt sheds tears after Wits' victory"This is the best one," exclaimed Gavin Hunt after winning his fourth league title and first for Bidvest Wits in their 96-year history with Wednesday night's 2-0 Absa Premiership win over Polokwane City. 

“Actually Daine shouldn’t train Monday to Friday – he should just come Saturdays‚ because in my opinion he’s better (that way).

“But‚ ja‚ he waned a bit‚ and his family has moved down home (to PE) and he lost his way a bit off the field. Now he’s OK.

“But he knows‚ and I’ve told him‚ he’s done more for me than anybody in my life. But if he doesn’t do it‚ he’s out.

“So he’s got to do it still‚ and he’s got to maintain the hunger. If he loses the hunger‚ he won’t play.”

• Much-decorated Daine Klate increases his medal haulDiane Klate is now the Premier Soccer League's most decorated player, having earned a sixth league title and capping a special evening with Bidvest Wits' second goal in their championship-clinching 2-0 win over Polokwane City on Wednesday night. 

After being red-carded in Wits’ crucial 1-0 win at home to Mamelodi Sundowns on May 1‚ Klate served a two-match suspension then came off the bench in a 3-1 defeat away against Free State Stars.

Hunt turned to his winger with a midas touch to start in the clincher against Polokwane‚ and Klate produced the goods playing a key role in the victory‚ and making the game safe with the Clever Boys’ 61st-minute second goal.

- TMG Digital/TMG Sport