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'If you pay your dues in football, football will reward you' - Gavin Hunt

Sihle Ndebele Journalist
Gavin Hunt
Image: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix

Bidvest Wits mentor Gavin Hunt has urged his troops who have already secured deals elsewhere for next season to help him and fellow players who are still in limbo to impress potential suitors.

After selling their top-flight status to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM), a number of Wits stars such as skipper Thulani Hlatshwayo, Deon Hotto, Haashim Domingo and Gift Motupa have already committed their futures to the likes of Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns.

However, many players and members of the technical team, including Hunt himself, are yet to find jobs beyond the end of the current campaign.

Resuming play against Sundowns in the Nedbank Cup semifinal at Orlando Stadium tomorrow (7.15pm), Hunt admits motivating players when the club has already been sold can be a mission.

The Wits coach entreated his players with secured futures to help people like him.

"It does become difficult [to motivate players with the club already sold]. But it's not about motivation, it's about the players obviously wanting to do it.

"As I said, seven or six have got contracts already going forward, the other 20 of us, or 25 of us, we've got nothing," said Hunt in a virtual media conference yesterday.

"So we have a lot to prove and I've said it to the players... [that] the ones who've got contracts maybe can help the ones who haven't got clubs and put other players in the shop window a bit more, that's important."

Hunt hopes they'll show professionalism.

"Hopefully, players will respond and be professional... play properly. I always say if you pay your dues in football, football will reward you. Some of them have already been rewarded very well, [and have] obviously got much better contracts [elsewhere]," Hunt said. "The rest, like myself, we're playing for our futures. So hopefully, we can give a good performance and finish the season well."

With Ricardo Goss still serving a suspension, Hunt confirmed Brighton Mhlongo will start in goal tomorrow.