WATCH | Chiefs coach Baxter: I thought Nkosingiphile Ngcobo did OK
Image: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix
Stuart Baxter said he felt midfielder Nkosingiphile Ngcobo “did OK” in Kaizer Chiefs' 1-0 DStv Premiership defeat to SuperSport United at FNB Stadium on Saturday.
The loss was a blow to Chiefs' target of a top two finish to clinch a place in next season's Caf Champions League.
Baxter said Chiefs could not always get Ngcobo “on the ball in the right places”, and when they didn't the SA Under-23 international was “left chasing the game”.
Ngcobo's lack of game time for a fan favourite and exciting prospect who played 40 games for Chiefs under Baxter's predecessor Gavin Hunt's last campaign has been a source of consternation for many in the Amakhosi faithful.
On Saturday he got a rare start — just his fifth in 11 league appearances overall this season — in the loss against SuperSport.
From Baxter's reaction, though, the coach still seems unsure how best to use Ngcobo.
The Briton, a coach who has had a reputation for putting his foot in his mouth, caused something of a storm with his sentiment after the SuperSport defeat when he said: “I don’t have any message to the fans because if they want me to go, I will go.
“If the chairman says to me ‘Stuart, I don’t think you are doing a good job,’ then I will walk”
He also incorrectly said, seemingly through a slip of the tongue, he has been Chiefs' only coach to bring success to the club in 20 years.