By Mihlali Baleka
Johannesburg — Kaizer Chiefs had every right to miss coach Stuart Baxter, but that doesn’t mean they should have rekindled their relationship with him. He was an ex for a reason. And that’s why they should have opted for Arthur Zwane this season instead.
After being bundled out of the Nedbank Cup by TS Galaxy, Amakhosi are on course to go seven seasons without silverware. A feat that totally defies their precious tag, “The Cup Kings of South African football”, after their illustrious success.
During that drought spell, they’ve had as many as five coaches. And some appointments were backed by the fraternity while others were questionable. The latest to be questioned though was that of Baxter who rejoined the team last year.
Sure, Baxter was the last successful coach at the club between 2012 to 2015. He won two titles and two trophies. But since his departure from Chiefs, he had done little to show he’s invested in nurturing talent at the club that he’s been at.
Baxter is a firm believer of the tried and tested. That was his mantra at Chiefs, SuperSport United and Bafana Bafana. Who can forget how he was keen to take an injured Itumeleng Khune to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Egypt?
Sure that didn't happen, with Bruce Bvuma selected instead. But thinking of Khune was a no to start with. He was not fully fit. But it almost as if Baxter was not even considering that. Instead, thinking of the experience that he'd bring to the team.
Baxter has not been one to take interest in throwing young players to the deep end. Unless, the public is on his case as it has been over the years. Who can forget how he overlooked Thembinkosi Lorch for the group stage in the 2019 Afcon?
Lorch, who was the reigning Footballer of the Season at the time, proved his worth and repaid the fans by scoring the winner that knocked out host Egypt in the last 16. But unfortunately, the favouritism didn't end there. It's now at Chiefs.
Defender Njabulo Ngcobo has to prove to the Brit why he's Chiefs' material and whether it was justifiable for him to be crowned the Defender of the Season? But really? What is Baxter trying to prove, that panels do not always get it right?
Ngcobo, though, is not the only one that had to settle for "a special position" in the team's midfield. Even Nkosingiphile Ngcobo, arguably their best player last season, has to be catered for in the team because of the outside noise - it seems.
Baxter's second stint started against Al Ahly in the Champions League final. Many — including yours truly — were bemused by the club’s decision to have him on the dugout, given that he had done nothing to get the team there in the first place.
Zwane should have been the coach that night in Morocco and this season — not Baxter. The former winger has done it all. That Chiefs reached that final and sneaked into the top eight in the league on the last day was because of him.
It wasn’t because he served as interim coached in the later stage of the season after the dismissal of Gavin Hunt. No! It was because the players that he nurtured came to the team’s aid when they had a one-year long transfer ban posed on the club.
Zwane is a sworn gold and black fan of Chiefs, having been there for more than two decades. He's not scared to throw young players in the deep end because he's trained them for all the adversity and what it means to play for the club.
He's proven that late last year as well. He won two league matches out of three after the absence of Baxter due to Covid-19. It's been alleged that he — and not Baxter — was with the team during the off season preparations and training.
So that's why you'd expect Zwane to know about the working combinations — and not Baxter. Against Cape Town City, Baxter started with seven defensive minded players, but still had the gall to say that they were the best team on the park.
IOL Sport