Durban City coach Gavin Hunt has declined to comment on the sudden departure of technical director Ernst Middendorp, instead choosing to focus on the team’s upcoming match against AmaZulu on Saturday.
Middendorp, who joined City during the offseason, left the club just three months into his role, citing differences in approach to the game.
The 68-year-old German mentor had a tumultuous spell with the Urban Warriors, suffering relegation from the Betway Premiership to the Motsepe Foundation Championship, and then again to the Western Cape ABC Motsepe League.
He was brought in by Durban City management to put the structure together since the club had gained PSL top-flight promotion.
City chairman Farook Kadodia made it clear to the media that Middendorp was brought in to help coach Gavin Hunt on various issues behind the scenes, and also the formation of the DStv Diski Challenge team.
When asked about Middendorp’s departure, Hunt politely declined to comment, saying, “I think it’s important if we talk about the game we have on Saturday against AmaZulu [at the Moses Mabhida Stadium]. I think let’s talk about the game, not other things, you know.”
Following his departure, Middendorp took to LinkedIn to share his thoughts on modern football coaching, stating, “In today’s football (2025), the game evolves daily – tactics, player monitoring, data systems, even communication flows through a team (GenZ-Generation), yet some coaches are still missing the boat.”
Middendorp added, “They miss it not because they lack passion or experience – but because they refuse to adapt. They close the door to new technology, believing GPS data, performance analytics, and AI scouting tools are for analysts, not coaches.”
The former Kaizer Chiefs mentor also emphasized the importance of collaboration in modern coaching, saying, “Coaching in 2025 is no longer about the ‘one-man show’ on the touchline. It’s about integrating departments – performance, analysis, medical, youth, and administration – into one shared language.”
With Middendorp’s departure, Hunt’s priorities are clear, and the team is focused on the task at hand.
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