Title winner: Stuart Baxter |
THE opening sentences of my post-championship chat with
Stuart Baxter were, as I promised, the most difficult. An apology. Here’s how
it went.
ME: “Stuart, how’s it going? Must have been hectic after
Polokwane! Well done mate, never in doubt!”
BAXTER: “Yup, it’s been busy. Hey, I had this guy here,
think you know him, keeps asking another question. And another! We’re on the
road to Mbombela. It’s been great… all the fans…”
ME: “Look, before we say anything, I’ve got to apologise
Stuart. We’ve spoken a couple of times during the season but there’s something
I have to say. At the start, all that stuff about your CV and the 4-1 defeat
against Mamelodi Sundowns, I jumped on that bandwagon. And you proved me wrong.”
BAXTER: “Not a problem, honestly. You’re always very
positive. I always like positivity. Forget it, we’ve done the job. No problem at all.”
Phew.
After that, it was fun. The current PSL is
blessed with a number of articulate, easy-to-chat-to coaches. Roger de Sa,
Steve Khompela, Clive Barker, Gavin Hunt, Zeca Marques. Baxter’s right up there.
“Look, it’s been brilliant. I was locked in the presidential
suite because I was suspended at the Peter Mokabe (where Chiefs drew 1-1 to
clinch the title on Tuesday against SuperSport United) so I couldn’t soak up
the atmosphere until the end.
“But once I got down there, it was magnificent. The AmaKhosi
(pronounced in the British manner) are wonderful people.”
I mentioned the gathering of Motaungs. How, finally, the
family business had got together for the nation with Jessica, Bobby and Kaizer
Junior taking it in turns to heap praise on their father, coach, team and fans.
Is there another club anywhere in the world like that, I asked the man who has
coached in Britain, Scandinavia and Asia?
“It’s a special club this. Talented people. Good people. In
some ways it’s better than where I’ve been before. I some ways it’s been tough,
but I expected that.
“Some of the dealings with SAFA are difficult, strange
things happen. And the officiating is still concerning… some of the decisions…
“But for me the best thing, the bit I’ve enjoyed the most,
is working with the players. I’m not going to put them through boring drills
and put them in position. I'm not that kind of coach. We watch videos, discuss what we’re doing… and then
go out and play small-sided games. Love it. We all do.
"These players are called Glamour Boys, but they responded so well to my methods.
“We started off just showing the players the Manchester
United stuff on video, the coaching videos with footage from Europe, South
America, Africa. But then we started to change it. Show some local stuff. Recent action. We
ended up watching Bayern Munich.
“They’re the side of the moment, we watch and learn.”
And the surprise player? The hidden gem in the first
championship team at Naturena for eight years? Surely, I said, that has to be Tefu
Junaid Mashamaite, the 28-year-old born, ironically, in Bochum, the most
German-sounding town in Limpopo?
“Good spot,” laughs Baxter, the first foreign coach to win the PSL in his first season, “He’s been a revelation. Always
up for it, hard, knows what’s expected of him.”
I made the point: “Pirates fell apart when Siya Sangweni got
injured after the African Cup of Nations, but when Tower Mathoho and Morgan
Gould got crocked, you had Mashemaite.”
Baxter responded: “Exactly. When we needed him, Tefu was
there. All season. It’s players like that who win you championships.
“But you have to mention Itu Khune too. Before I got here,
some people told me he wasn’t really a captain, but something must have
changed.
“He talks well, he motivates, he cares. Great goalkeeper,
great captain.
“Look Neal, I’m here for the long term. I said when I got
here I would address the structures at this club, not just the first team and
the first season.
“We’re doing that. We haven’t just won the title, we’ve got
the Nedbank Cup to come on May 25 – and we know how tough it will be against
Gavin Hunt.
“But we’ve also put other things in place. We have exciting
things happening at Naturena which I’d like to talk about after the final.
“Our young players will have a way forward, our academy is about
to be reborn. I have nutritionists, a university, sports psychologists working
with me to produce the next generation of Chiefs.
“This doesn’t end here. This is, I hope, just the beginning. Call me after the final, come down and see what we're building at Kaizer Chiefs. I think you'll be impressed.”
As always, a great piece to read. Big ups to Neal
ReplyDeleteU got to love sir Baxter
ReplyDeleteThanks Neal, Once again good piece of writing...
ReplyDeleteBaxter looks as a Professional in His Approach. We wish Him All the Best in the Future!!!
ReplyDelete