BidVest Wits will survive relegation‚ says coach Gavin Hunt

Gavin Hunt finally won a game in normal time in 2017-18‚ and then he was lost for words‚ after yet more lineup and formation changes‚ some enforced again‚ to describe how.

“Ah‚ God‚ what a (expletive) game. It’s the worst we’ve played this year‚” said Hunt‚ in top lyrical form again after Bidvest Wits ended a run of eight league and cup games without a normal-time win with Saturday evening’s manically-paced 1-0 Absa Premiership victory against Orlando Pirates at Bidvest Stadium.

“The pitch is shocking man. This has been a big downfall.

"I’m not making excuses but it has. We’ve normally got the best field in the country‚ and it’s been shocking.

“But there’s nothing we can do about it. It’ll come right with a bit of rain.”

Wits finally got their first league win in their sixth game.

In the worst start by PSL champions‚ Wits’ previous victory this season had been on penalties against Lamontville Golden Arrows in their opening MTN8 opening game.

Hunt‚ asked if it had been difficult not allowing a negative body language permeate to his players‚ said he had never taken such a beating.

“It’s hard. I mean‚ I’ve never taken a beating like this in my life‚” he said.

“I’ve always been on the other end of the scale. Now I’ve seen things that I’ve never seen before. Maybe I was starting to believe in other things.

“But‚ as I say‚ I know I get criticised every week about my team selection‚ but you come down to training.

“This morning‚ ‘Tyson’ (captain and centreback Thulani Hlatshwayo) pulls out.

"So now we’ve got a whole team planned‚ and at lunch time I had to drop Daine Klate and Gabadinho Mhango because Tyson pulled out.”

Hunt made six changes from his team that lost 3-0 against AmaZulu in Durban on Wednesday night.

The coach‚ searching for that missing winning formula and some defensive solidity from a team that has bled goals‚ switched back to a 3-5-2 formation that did not quite work out in a 3-1 home defeat against Lamontville Golden Arrows three matches previously.

Debutant Gerald Phiri’s fifth-minute goal gave Wits their much-needed victory in which they played at a high tempo to keep Milutin Sredojevic’s confident‚ previously unbeaten‚ Pirates at bay.

At times the Clever Boys achieved that through pure grit.

“Of course the win’s important. I mean‚ it’s the worst we’ve played this year and we got a result. It just shows you about football. It’ll drive you crazy‚” Hunt said.

“But we’re chopping and changing every game.

“Our back five we played last year that won us the league and cups‚ and has been consistent for the last year or two‚ is not here.

“We’ve got one player left – the left-back (Sifiso Hlanti). Our back five (or four)‚ was our stable thing – Nazeer Allie‚ Buhle Mkhwanazi‚ ‘Tyson’.”

Wits also finally managed a clean sheet – almost unbelievable for a team that prides itself on defence‚ their first of the season.

“That’s the most important thing. I said to the players‚ all I want now is we’ve got 25 games and I want 25 0-0s‚” was Hunt’s appraisal‚ all characteristic dryness.

“That’s all. And then we’ll be fine. We’ll survive relegation.” - TimesLIVE