Hunt: Klate knows the game

Gavin Hunt believes that Daine Klate will do a good job at Chippa United as long as he can “learn on his feet”.

Klate was appointed as the new Chilli Boys’ boss ahead of the upcoming DStv Premiership season, having previously been in charge of their DStv Diski Challenge team.

Hunt managed just 10 games with Chippa before becoming just another in a long line of sacked former coaches; and recently ended back at former haunt SuperSport United.

And speaking following Klate’s appointment, as interim coach Kurt Lentjies was placed on “special leave”, Hunt gave the young coach his blessing.

Hunt said on iDiski Times: “Daine phone me on Sunday. He said he got a call from the Chippa chairman.

“I said ‘you’ve got nothing to lose and I think you should take it’. If he wants to get into this laying of coaching and this pathway.

“He’s done an exceptional job with the team there. I brought him on board when I went down there last year, cause I knew what his passion and his desire is.

“He’s built a really good team there and I think he’s got a future if he wants it. He’s got a good brain, he knows the game, his credentials as a player are fantastic.”

Hunt added: “His biggest problems he’s going to have is players, acquire players and pay players, because I think the market has really shrunk a lot in a short space of time in South Africa.

“What he’s gonna have to do, he’s got to learn on his feet and I’ve told that. Sometimes it’s gonna get worse, than he’s got to come out and say it, what do we need to do and how we’re gonna do it.”

The former Kaizer Chiefs boss concluded: “This period is very short till the first game. I don’t know what they’ve got, they’ve lost a few players now. The secret of any coach is to acquire a player that can do a decent job.”