Baxter tells players to just be patient

Stuart Baxter has turned into something of a preacher at Naturena. The Kaizer Chiefs coach admitted he has had to drive home the same message to players after every Absa Premiership encounter in the title run-in.

With six games remaining and Amakhosi sitting pretty at the top of the table - seven points clear of rivals and defending champions Orlando Pirates - the "gospel" according to Baxter is for his players to stay grounded.

The coach said he is constantly trying to bring his players down to earth.

He didn't look too pleased after Chiefs managed to come from behind and draw 1-1 with Maritzburg United on Wednesday night at Peter Mokaba Stadium, suggesting he would come down hard on the players.

"I've got to remind them of the realities of football," said Baxter, who was content with seeing defender Eric Mathoho score Amakhosi's equaliser against Maritzburg to cancel out Mario Booysen's opener.

"You can't do any more than that. You bring them back down to earth if they get carried away."

Chiefs players have not given any indications that they have become sloppy or already crowned themselves champions. They thumped Bloemfontein Celtic 3-0 away, but fought to earn a point against a tricky Maritzburg in Polokwane - their home for the rest of the season.

"It sounds like a cliché but the path is more important than the destination. But that is not easy to do," said Baxter.

The "realities of football" have unfolded quite a few times in the Premier League in the past. The last time Chiefs won the title in 2005, they did so by benefiting from Pirates dropping points on the last day of the season.

Amakhosi also gave up on the title chase in the previous campaign following five consecutive draws, leaving the Buccaneers to slug it out with Moroka Swallows.

Baxter will expect a massive reaction from Chiefs players on Saturday against Golden Arrows in Durban.

They are constantly on the road. Even their new "home" is 300km from their base camp in Naturena. Soccer City squeezed them out to accommodate concerts.

"We've really got no training time to work on our mistakes from the last game," Baxter said.

"We go straight to Durban to play another game. But I know that if we perform well collectively, the points are always going to come."

Every game draws Chiefs closer to the title and to have only been beaten once in 24 matches in the league can only inspire Amakhosi, more so against Arrows, whom they beat 3-0 in November.

Following their draw against Maritzburg, Chiefs also claimed their second Q-Innovation of the season after topping the standings in the third quarter of the campaign, and will be awarded R1.5-million this weekend.