Former Kaizer Chiefs head coach Stuart Baxter has spilt the beans on what happened during his second tenure at the club.
The Englishman has a successful first tenure at Naturena, winning two league titles between 2012 and 2015. He abruptly left the Soweto giants after winning his second league title and was replaced by Steve Komphela.
Since Baxter’s departure, Chiefs have only won one trophy in the past 11 years. Although he rejoined the club in 2021, his second spell at Amakhosi was short-lived.
“If Kaizer Chiefs want to learn anything from the whole Baxter saga, the first time the roles were clear. The coach was allowed to do his job. We had a clear identity, and it was a successful period. The second time, roles were blurred, egos were involved, and it’s likely been the same story since,” Baxter told FARPost.
Baxter was the last Chiefs coach to win the league
The former Bafana Bafana coach claimed he was told to select certain players when he returned to Chiefs in 2021.
“I came in the second time and it was very unclear. I was getting told which players to buy, who to select, and even how to set up tactically. It was as if I was expected to follow a script written by others. That atmosphere was entirely different from the first time, and it made it impossible to build a winning culture,” Baxter added.
The Englishman felt previous coaches like Gavin Hunt, Arthur Zwane, and Ernst Middendorp should have been given time.
“Chiefs need to return to that clarity,” Baxter insisted.
“If you hire a coach, you must allow him to do his job. You cannot keep imposing players, making recommendations, or questioning his tactical approach. I am certain that if coaches like Gavin Hunt, Ernst Middendorp, or even myself during my second spell, had been granted the same time and autonomy we see now, we would have delivered success,” he said.