Gavin Hunt is a lover of fine, old and young things in life. As such, expectations are high for him to live his best life at Durban City in the upcoming campaign.
Hunt was announced as City’s head coach this month, and the club has been pulling out all the stops to satisfy his desires. The Team of Choice pulled a rabbit out of the hat earlier this week, announcing Supertech as their vehicle sponsor – the brand behind luxury automotives such as BMW.
Hunt was seen in high spirits during the announcement, posing beside a sizzling new BMW together with club boss Farook Kadodia. But Hunt is not only expected to drive in style off the field. The club is also backing him on the pitch with his favourite wheels – an old and new army.
Driven by excellence
Our technical team just got handed the keys to a fleet of BMWs powered by our new partners, Supertech Group.#OurCityOurTeam #DurbanCityFC #SupertechGroup pic.twitter.com/nuzTGY9P1G
— Durban City FC (@DurbanCity_FC) July 22, 2025
City bolstered the squad with five new signings on Wednesday: Darren Keet, Brooklyn Poggenpoel, Trevor Mokwena, Fredrick Asare and Liam De Kock. Keet, 35, is reuniting with Hunt after the pair worked together at the now-defunct Bidvest Wits, winning the Premiership title during the 2016/17 season.
Poggenpoel will also work under Hunt for the second time, having joined him at SuperSport United last season before the coach’s departure. The 25-year-old defender will inject young blood into the team, alongside Mokwena, 24, Asare, 26, and De Kock, 24.
The reunion phase is expected to continue in the coming days, with Thulani Hlatshwayo and Haashim Domingo reportedly close to signing. Apart from working with tried and tested personnel, Hunt is a nurturer at heart, having unearthed gems such as South Africa’s most celebrated export, Benni McCarthy.
Hunt finds himself in a favourable position at City, where even his direct superior – technical director Ernst Middendorp – will not interfere in his coaching affairs.
Amid reports that the pair would work together, there were concerns about possible clashes, given their strong personalities, expertise and differing points of view.
Milford FC up next, and it’s all square between us👀
Training’s underway and the energy is high! Let’s get it🌊#DurbanCityFC #kznderby #45minutes pic.twitter.com/vgcHKjjuvq
— Durban City FC (@DurbanCity_FC) July 24, 2025
“There won’t be any issues at all between the two of them. The important thing is that, specifically, we have Gavin as the head coach,” said Kadodia.
“I have encouraged him (Middendorp) to stay out of the coaching project and focus on the technical director role and on setting up structures for us in the DDC.”
With City going all out to back Hunt, the onus is now on him to repay the faith and deliver when it matters most – on the pitch. The season may not yet be underway, but City – like other newly promoted or returning teams – are already being tipped as relegation candidates.
Enter Hunt. He must not only prove the doubters wrong but also show that he still has fire in his belly to challenge and compete for honours.
Honours do not necessarily mean silverware. They also include building a formidable squad capable of going toe-to-toe with any team in the land. A formidable team not only attracts fans to the stadium but also catches the attention of national team selectors.
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has made it clear he will always select players on merit, regardless of the club they play for.
Kadodia will therefore be thrilled to see his team back in the top-flight, as the potential of having his players in the national team reflects positively on the club. When Bongokuhle Hlongwane starred for Bafana while at the club, he was snapped up by MLS side Minnesota United – in a record transfer for City.
So, while the club is doing all it can to fulfil Hunt’s desires, expectations are also mounting on him to repay the trust that’s being shown.
