Stuart Baxter promises to prepare Kaizer Chiefs soldiers for battle

New Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter says it’s too early to promise that he will return the trophy-winning days to Naturena.

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The returning Amakhosi boss claimed the 2013 and 2015 South Africa top-flight titles as well as the Nedbank Cup in 2013 and the MTN8 in 2014.

The club have not won a major trophy since his departure, but came within one win of doing so in the final of the CAF Champions League last season.

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As Stuart Baxter settles back in at Kaizer Chiefs after taking over from Gavin Hunt, the former Bafana boss has called for patience.

He said according to the Sowetan: “As a coach you’ve got to be very careful making hot air type of promises just to stir up enthusiasm.

“Kaizer Chiefs have not won anything for a long time. They have gotten close‚ but they’ve not won anything. When I first came it was the same sort of situation.

“Now I didn’t promise that I would win something in the first year when I was here before‚ and I won’t promise that now. Because those sort of over-optimistic promises in some way put pressure on these players who have got to go out and deliver that.

“But what I will promise them [the supporters] is that the work that we do here at Naturena will prepare these soldiers for battle. And when we go into battle I will promise them that we will not sell ourselves cheaply.

“That will be a promise that I will make them. Now hopefully that will lead to results‚ confidence in the group‚ belief in what we’re doing‚ and that will fuel better results‚ and we will then kick on‚ and start to bring some pride to the supporters‚ pride to the players,” Stuart Baxter concluded.

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Kaizer Chiefs will open their 2021/22 season against arch-rivals Orlando Pirates in Sunday’s Carling Black Label Cup at the Orlando Stadium.