Gavin Hunt Bracing for Congested Domestic Return As SuperSport United Fight on Three Fronts

• Gavin Hunt will be forced to test the depth of his squad as they face a gruelling return
• SuperSport United were in a mixed run of form going into the Africa Cup of Nations break
• Matsatsantsa will feature in the DStv Premiership, CAF Confederations Cup and Nedbank Cup

The domestic fixture list will be a treat for fans when action resumes in less than two weeks.

Head coaches may not have the same enthusiasm as the congestion throws an added factor into match plans and forces physical strain on players.

SuperSport United will have at least 10 games in eight weeks as they fight for the second CAF Champions League qualification spot in the league and pursue progress in two cup competitions.

Gavin Hunt's squad is not as experienced as he might want but does have a well of youthful exuberance to call upon.

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To prepare for a spreading of the workload, SuperSport United ran out in a friendly against Motsepe Foundation Championship team, NB La Masia, on February 1. Speaking to Sports Brief after the match, Hunt said:

"It's just to get a runout, get 20 minutes here, 30 minutes there. When you get back into training you need a bit of a reward. We have young squad depth so that is why it is important the youngsters play these games with the right intensity."

The mid-season AFCON break is the chief cause of the congestion but Hunt has a pragmatic outlook, stating that he is acclimatised to the biannual occurrence. He elaborated:

"We have a hell of a calendar. February and March is ridiculous. It's always difficult but every two years it happens and you plan for it. There is good and bad, if you're are doing well, you want to keep going and if you're doing poorly, you want to take a break."

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Matsatsantsa have been drawn against Cape Town City in the Nedbank Cup, a team they are neck-and-neck with in the race to catch Mamelodi Sundowns in the DStv Premiership.

Both teams exited the Carling Knockout Cup in the first round and will want to avoid a repeat. Stressing that they will take the remainder of the season one game at a time, Hunt said of City:

"They are a good side, they have kept a lot of their players. They certainly have a lot of good individual players but we will compete."

Bradley Grobler adds to all-time tally

Sports Brief recently reported on Bradley Grobler adding to his record tally for SuperSport United.

Grobler scored the first hat-trick of the 2023/24 DStv Premiership season in late October against Royal AM.

The 36-year-old has scored 83 goals for the club in the 260 appearances he has made, as per TransferMarkt.