Stuart Baxter admits Kaizer Chiefs don’t have a designated penalty-taker

Stuart Baxter has revealed that Kaizer Chiefs don’t have a single designated penalty-taker.

The admission comes in the wake of a penalty miss from Lebogang Manyama in the 2-0 loss to Mamelodi Sundowns on Sunday.

Kaizer Chiefs don’t have a designated penalty-taker

Manyama was fresh off the substitutes bench but stepped up to take the penalty ahead of the likes of Keagan Dolly, Khama Billiat, Samir Nurkovic and Daniel Cardoso.

Rivaldo Coetzee’s handball in the penalty area had given Kaizer Chiefs a potential route back into the match but Manyama slammed his effort into the woodwork.

A barrage of criticism has come down upon Manyama, Baxter and captain on the day Erick Mathoho, however, the coach doesn’t feel he had any reason to try and intervene in the decision-making process.

Baxter revealed that Kaizer Chiefs have a handful of penalty-takers and it is left up to them out in the middle to decide who steps up to take spot-kicks.

The coach recognised that the decision was a flawed one, admitting if he was on the field he wouldn’t have allowed Manyama to take the penalty.

When asked if Kaizer Chiefs have a designated number one penalty-taker, Baxter replied: “The answer to that is no. We have four or five penalty takers and when they are on the field and they say they don’t want to take it, I’ve got little control over on where the responsibility goes. I think you’ve to listen to the players. The one who has confidence to take it, should take it. 

“If it was me and I was on the field as one of the players, I would have pushed Lebo away because that’s his first game back from injury. I don’t think it’s fair to give him that responsibility, but Lebo is a character.”

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