SuperSport United head coach Gavin Hunt has explained why he opted to name 20-year-old defender Ime Okon his captain in the CAF Confederations Cup clash with Future FC on Sunday.
Hunt’s side were eliminated from the competition with a group stage match to spare after drawing 1-1 with the Egyptian side in their penultimate group match in Polokwane on Sunday.
Matsatsantsa are bottom of Group A with four points from five matches and will travel to Algeria next weekend for the dead rubber against USM Alger. Before this trip SuperSport are in action in the league at Cape Town Coty on Wednesday.
Hunt started 20-year-old defender Ime Okon as captain in the side’s 1-1 draw with Future FC in the CAF Confederation Cup in Polokwane on Sunday and he says the reason for that is because he is building for the future.
“I think he’s a future captain. I mean I’ve done it before with Bongani Khumalos when they were 20, 21,” he said.
“We are in the process of building a new team again and I think he’s the future like Aphiwe [Baliti], like Gape [Morola], like Shandre [Campbell] like so many.
“We need to build and I think he is the perfect answer for us to be. I think he’ll be a good captain.”
Hunt also insists that the CAF inter-club experience can have a good effect on his team, especially the experience the young players gain, but their main focus remains the league.
“Yes and no because I like the CAF experience because I think it brings a team on tremendously,” he added.
“It has helped us here when I was here the first time, it helped me at Wits, it helped me wherever I’ve been.
“You bring young players through and you give them experience and you play and you will be better in the league for it. You will be so much better in the league and the league has always been a focus. It has to be a focus for a club our size.”
“That’s the way we finish in the league. Last year we came third first time in how many years, so we are pushing and there is a lot of clubs pushing.
“We’ve got a big game on Wednesday night in Cape Town against Cape Town City, who is our biggest direct rival in terms of points and that.
“We have to travel back now you know there is no training and getting in a plane and playing again on Wednesday. So we need to be prepared. We’ve prepared a team obviously they’re at home and we need to prepare one or two from here then we go from there.”
