Chiefs coach Baxter refuses to throw in towel in title race

In spite of some colleagues in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) conceding that Sundowns have virtually wrapped up the title race, Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter has refused to give up the chase.

Baxter and his Chiefs side are preparing to take on their Soweto rivals Orlando Pirates at Orlando Stadium on Saturday at 3pm.

Baxter’s counterpart at Pirates, Mandla Ncikazi, apparently said the title race was over after he witnessed his team play to a goalless draw against Cape Town City on Wednesday.

“I don’t like to comment on what the Pirates coach says, because he is looking at things from a Pirates perspective. I’m not in their camp, I don’t want to validate or not validate what he says,” said Baxter on Thursday.

The Amakhosi mentor noted that though the Brazilians appear to be running away with the title, his team has played four games less than Sundowns and theoretically can still win the league.

But Sundowns will have to drop a lot of points in their remaining eight matches.

Downs have played 22 matches and are on 51 points, while the third-placed Glamour Boys trail by 19 points.

“We are in a position where, when I checked the log table, we are three games [behind Sundowns] which is nine points potentially. Plus we have to play Sundowns in one of the games,” said Baxter.

“That could be a 12-point swing and I think those 12 points means we are not completely out of the picture. But I don’t think a sane person would be betting on anybody catching Sundowns.

“We may have that theoretical chance, but it’s only a theoretical chance, because I’m a Kaizer Chiefs coach and I believe in my players, I believe in this football club.

“So, rational sane people will not agree with me, but that is what we have to do as professionals, to find the reason for winning every game. Our supporters want to support a successful team, not a team that throws in the towel. We won’t do that.

“It’s theirs [Sundowns] to lose, it would be a huge upset if they were to lose it, but we are going to keep going. That’s the only way to go.”

Of Chiefs’ four outstanding games, two are before the PSL board after Chiefs could not field a team due to a Covid-19 outbreak in Naturena in December.

For Chiefs, winning the Soweto Derby on Saturday would be a positive start to their bid to catch Sundowns.