Stellenbosch FC coach Gavin Hunt has voiced out his frustrations with being unable to utilise some of his new signings due to lack of match-fitness.
Hunt’s comments come on the back of his side’s come-from-behind 3-3 draw with Polokwane City in the league in Seshego on Tuesday.
The coach gave at least three debuts including strikers Ashley Du Preez and Bradley Grobler a run in their last 11 minutes of the game. Du Preez who is in his second stint at the club, scored the goal that secured a point for Stellies with his first touch.
Though the coach was content with walking away with something in the game, he said his frustrations are that some of the players joined the side late, lack fitness and he hasn’t had time to ease them in the team hence they are yet to start.
“Problem is Ashley hasn’t done any training,” said Hunt.
“You know, I can’t play them. They got 20 minutes or so. Bradley [Grobler] hasn’t done any training; Ashley hasn’t done any training. Given [Msimango] you know he’s… [Mosa] Lebusa, we got half a team. We got a team out here.
“You know we’ve signed, the players have gone and come, but the players who are gone were at least fit. The players who were brought in they’ve done no training. So, it’s a problem for me, and the season is upon us.
“But you know with our business been done late through no fault of any of us or whatever, obviously five weeks or six weeks of training. Then players come the last week. It’s difficult for me as a coach, and then obviously to play like away all the time.
“Well, you can train them as much, but there’s no practice games. Normally, practice games give you a little bit of 20/40, 50/60, 70/80, minutes. You build them up as the pre-season goes on and now you’ve thrown them straight in. At least one of them got a goal at a first touch, unbelievable.”
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