Losing‚ and the fight to escape last‚ has become a ‘thing’ for Wits

06 January 2018 - 11:20 By Marc Strydom
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Gavin hunt. File photo.
Gavin hunt. File photo.
Image: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix

Gavin Hunt looked positively haggard after Bidvest Wits sagged to a fourth game without a win‚ and another demoralising Absa Premiership defeat at home for the champions‚ 1-0 against Free State Stars on Friday night.

The coach’s eyes were tinged with red and he appeared worn out.

It wasn’t supposed to go this way.

What wasn’t?

That Wits could get off to the sort of start to the season they did when they had such quality and high hopes of challenging again.

That they should slip as far as last. And then that they should stay there so long.

Friday’s defeat at Bidvest Stadium took Wits to 15 matches and halfway.

Returning from the Christmas break‚ Hunt had two of his new signings on the field‚ and Eddie Gyimah in midfield and Lehlohonolo Majoro in attack were both characteristically bustling and brimming with energy.

Sifiso Myeni returned from loan at SuperSport United and provided much-needed class out wide.

Yet Wits conceded another soft goal to Tamsanqa Teyise in the 33rd minute in a string now so long as‚ well – how long can a piece of string go?

In their sort of form‚ the most they seemed likely to recover to would be a draw. They could not even manage that against Luc Eymael’s tenacious Stars‚ despite again having the better chances.

“Ja‚ we had five‚ actually. And they barely had a chance. Well‚ it (the ball) went through 10 players there‚ bounced and he (Teyise) hit it‚ and goal‚” Hunt said.

“When you are where we are‚ that’s what happens. If we score‚ and go 3-0 up‚ then they can score the one – then we make it 4-1. Like we normally do.

“But it hasn’t happened. Not for lack of effort‚ crosses‚ passing‚ chances. Not for lack of anything.”

It was put to Hunt that Wits‚ with the football they have played‚ should never have been in last place and that this fighting out of bottom has now become a “thing” for them. (Though in all honesty‚ it has been for some time).

“Or to get a win‚” the coach said.

“I mean‚ four games in a row here (at Bidvest) and we haven’t scored a goal. And every game we should have won by plenty.

“You can talk all day – but you’ve got to score.”

Hunt was asked‚ if it has become a mental thing‚ how he can turn that around?

“It’s not mental‚” he asserted.

“If it was mental then in these games they would be on top of us. But they don’t come in our half.

“And you can say what you like‚ but they got the three points and we lost.”

Hunt in some part is right.

Conceding soft goals has not helped. And a team of Wits’ quality have played a level of football far below ability and deserving perhaps of a bottom-half placing. But not last. And not staying there.

Luck and countless missed chances have played their part. And classy signings have backfired. And now it is a thing.

If Hunt were another coach‚ he might have taken the Christmas break as an opportunity to step back.

He might‚ instead of pushing himself and his team through with even more hard work‚ have come back prepared to unshackle Wits from rigid‚ disciplined structure.

By his own admission the title race is over. So why not rediscover the fun in football.

Because working oneself to the bone and dying for a coach while winning a league title is fun. Doing it from last place‚ with just pride left to play for‚ is more like a treadmill.

And how many of us genuinely enjoy a treadmill‚ so much‚ say‚ as we do two weeks at the beach in Mozambique?

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