Tembo will have a hotline to ill Baxter when SuperSport take on Kaizer Chiefs

28 April 2017 - 17:10 By Marc Strydom
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SuperSport United head coach Stuart Baxter emerges from the tunnel during during the Nedbank Cup Quarter Final match against Kaizer Chiefs at FNB Stadium on April 22, 2017 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
SuperSport United head coach Stuart Baxter emerges from the tunnel during during the Nedbank Cup Quarter Final match against Kaizer Chiefs at FNB Stadium on April 22, 2017 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Image: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images

Stuart Baxter communicates constantly with SuperSport United‚ even during games‚ said assistant-coach Kaitano Tembo‚ who will be on the bench again in Saturday’s Absa Premiership game against Kaizer Chiefs at Mbombela Stadium.

Baxter had surgery this week because of a burst cyst‚ suspected to have been the result of a spider bite‚ and missed SuperSport’s 1-0 win against Bidvest Wits at Bidvest Stadium on Tuesday night‚ with Tembo standing in as head coach.

SuperSport’s coach, Baxter, had felt discomfort during their Nedbank Cup penalties quarterfinal win against Chiefs at FNB Stadium this past weekend.

He will not be on the bench again this Saturday in Nelspruit.

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Tembo said that there has been communication from Baxter during games. This seems most likely to have been via cellphone and SMS with the SuperSport bench while the coach watches on TV.

“He’s with us. Even in the Wits game he was with us‚” former SuperSport and Zimbabwe defender Tembo said.

“We communicate‚ we talk‚ so that win was for the coach. The coach did everything on the night.

  • SuperSport United refuse to give up title chaseSuperSport United are not giving up on the Absa Premiership title race‚ a 1-0 win against Bidvest Wits at Bidvest Stadium on Tuesday night having brought them back from the brink of slipping out of the race. 

“So he might not be here‚ but he’s always with us.”

Tembo praised his players for bouncing back from three league defeats in a row against Wits.

“We needed to get back into the mix for the league. Because we want to finish as high as we can‚” the SuperSport assistant said.

“I think the attitude against Wits was unbelievable. Because to play 120 minutes on Saturday against Chiefs‚ then go and put on a performance like that against Wits on the Tuesday‚ that is unbelievable.

  • Irate SuperSport United officials give Safa and Stuart Baxter an ultimatumAn annoyed SuperSport United will give the South African Football Association until the middle of next week to conclude their negotiations with Stuart Baxter on the vacant Bafana Bafana coaching position. 

“We’ve just played Chiefs and we’re playing them again on the weekend.

“It’s part and parcel of the game. We knew it was going to be difficult in terms of matches.

“We’ve been playing back-to-back matches and we just need to deal with it.”

SuperSport have defender Denwin Farmer and key attacker Thabo Mnyamane doubtful from injuries‚ who had to pass late fitness tests.

- TMG Digital/TMG Sport

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