Struggling Absa Premiership champions SuperSport United will make a couple of big signings in the January transfer window.
Speaking after his three-time champions were beaten 2-0 by 10-man Kaizer Chiefs in a league showdown played at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville on Sunday, United coach Gavin Hunt revealed he would be delving into the transfer market by searching for a couple of quality defenders to beef up his squad.
“I need to bring in new defenders in January. I will be losing my captain Bongani Khumalo [who is joining English Premiership outfit Tottenham Hotspur], while I have Thabo September out with a long-term knee injury,” said Hunt.
Hunt will, however, also need to look to his attack to improve. His two experienced strikers, Anthony Laffor and Lemessa Fikru, continue to fire blanks.
Key striker Glen Salmon has been out all season with a knee injury and is only expected to be fit in January.
“How many chances do we need to score? It was frustrating.
“We wasted countless chances and we were the better side throughout. This was a game we should have won and yet we end up 2-0 losers.
“I thought we had it all worked out and should have won comfortably. Chiefs were never in the game in the first half and yet they went 1-0 ahead just before halftime,” lamented Hunt.
Chiefs coach Vladimir Vermezovic went home happy. He is now preparing for a crunch week ahead of Saturday’s Telkom Knockout quarterfinal clash against Free State Stars at the Rand Stadium (3pm).
‘It is how we finish the league that counts’
The Serbia-born coach said he was not getting carried away about Chiefs being the only side left with an unbeaten record in the Premiership.
Chiefs are now second with 14 points, one adrift of leaders Mamelodi Sundowns.
“It is nice being unbeaten in the league, but it is how we finish the league that counts.”
Vermezovic said he was preparing for his most crucial week, having to play Stars in what he said would be a challenging cup tie against a side he has a lot of respect for.
The coach also said he was pleased with the character shown by his side who had to play the final 36 minutes with 10 men after striker Kaizer Motaung Jnr was sent off for pushing United keeper Wayne Brown.
He does not anticipate taking any disciplinary action against Motaung Jnr. “These things happen in football. I do not know what Brown said to him that made him react.
“It was a big win for us and it means a lot, but there is a lot of room for improvement.”
Hunt will be hoping for better luck this Saturday night when United play high-flying Orlando Pirates in their Knockout quarterfinal clash at Loftus (8.15pm).
“That is another tough game for us, but we have to keep going and keep our heads up,” said Hunt.
Pirates, who won the MTN8 trophy last month, looked in devastating form when they destroyed Ajax Cape Town’s unbeaten league record with a 3-0 thumping at the Orlando Stadium on Saturday night to keep in touch with the league leaders.
Bucs coach Ruud Krol watched Sunday’s match and despite United losing, the former Dutch skipper will know United are no pushovers. — Sapa