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SuperSport United coach Gavin Hunt has reflected on the club’s CAF Confederation Cup campaign, which ended with a 2-1 defeat away to USM Alger of Algeria on Sunday.
After six rounds of matches played, the Tshwane outfit finished at the bottom of Group A, below Egyptian side Modern Future as well as Al Hilal Benghazi of Libya.
Hunt used several academy players throughout, as SuperSport juggled between their domestic and continental commitments, and says the experience was valuable for the youngsters who could soon become first team regulars.
"We played like this [through] the whole Confederation Cup, and we possibly could have won the game. Yes, they had chances, but we also had some very good chances," said Hunt.
"I thought we played good football, but the result wasn't there. But if you look at the players we played – none of the first team players, so it's a good [outcome], you know. It's a good learning curve and it's good for the future of the club."
In what has now become a common theme during his press engagements, Hunt once again emphasised why the technical team had no option but to rotate the players as they covered long hours to get to matches.
"We travelled on Tuesday, played on Wednesday night [after] a two-hour flight; we flew back on Thursday; we flew here [Algers] on Friday, played on Saturday; we fly back on Monday, arrive on Tuesday; we play on Wednesday; we play on Saturday; we play [next] Wednesday," he pointed out.
"With the first team? Are you [serious]? So the management know, and I've been instructed to play [young players] - that's what we do for this tournament."
Asked whether SuperSport have any ambitions to emulate group leaders USM Alger, the four-time league title winner said with more financial muscle he would deliver on any expectations.
"Give me their budget and I will show you how to win. We do it [CAF] on a budget, we’ve brought 16 players – we come the day before, not two days before.
"We are a club that believes in our youth. That is what our club is about. We run on a small budget. I bet you your lowest paid player here is not even my highest paid player.
"My job is to produce plyers to go to Europe, which we’ve got two going already, but not from this group. That’s what we do. We have to look after our [PSL] franchise because we can’t afford to be out of the top league.
"For what we do, we overachieve as a club – domestically, we should be in the Top 8, but we are in the Top 2. The club is doing ok," he concluded.
