Baxter believes his new-look Chiefs can be a combination to take notice of in the coming campaign

04 August 2021 - 14:51 By Marc Strydom
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Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter and his players during the Carling Black Label Cup match between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs at Orlando Stadium on August 1, 2021 in Johannesburg.
Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter and his players during the Carling Black Label Cup match between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs at Orlando Stadium on August 1, 2021 in Johannesburg.
Image: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images

Competing in the Caf Champions League final has left Kaizer Chiefs playing catch-up in their preseason preparations for the 2021-22 season‚ coach Stuart Baxter has said.

Baxter‚ though‚ said he believes that even if the new-look Chiefs are a work in progress for their first few matches‚ but can still get a few results under the belt during that period‚ then they can be a combination to take notice of in the coming campaign.

Amakhosi lost 3-0 with 10 men to Al Ahly as the shock 2020-21 Champions league finalists on July 17.

That huge match – played late due to the challenges of Covid-19 – delayed Chiefs’ off-season break ahead of their return for the preseason to 2021-22. That also has delayed the process of assimilating Amakhosi’s platoon of new signings‚ and also of Baxter‚ returning for his second stint at the club‚ formulating and applying his potential game model for the season ahead.

But a Chiefs buoyed by signings‚ and the return of the coach who last won silverware before a six-season trophy drought, has still left the club’s supporters expectant of a dramatic improvement in 2021-22.

Such expectations could have been heightened by Chiefs’ penalties preseason Carling Black Label Cup win against Orlando Pirates on Sunday‚ where a number of the signings had bright starts.

“We get through [our last two league] games‚ then you’ve got the [Champions League] semifinals – Wydad and Wydad. We got beaten 4-0 [by Wydad in the group stage]‚ so you’ve got to identify a gameplan‚” Baxter said.

“Then you’ve got the final‚ Al Ahly – how are you going to play? You get through that game.

“So it’s only really after Al Ahly‚ when we got all the new players in‚ that we started thinking of the bigger picture [for 2021-22].

“So‚ yeah‚ of course some of the bigger principals we’ve been talking about have been involved. But the time – I think some of these boys have had four sessions with me.

“So that was great [on Sunday] in terms of information. Identify: do we play 4-2-3-1‚ do we play with three at the back‚ do we play a normal 4-3-3?

“How do the players suit that shape? Is ‘Bibo’ [Sabelo Radebe] a candidate now?

“So all of that I’ve got to digest. I’ve got one week where we’ll play a friendly game‚ and then one week to Sundowns. So we don’t have a lot of time‚ but I think the boys are doing really well.

“Maybe it’ll be a work in progress for the first few games in the season. But if we get off to a decent start and we’re there or thereabouts‚ I think as we improve we could be a bit unpleasant to deal with a bit further down the line.”

Chiefs begin their season with their big MTN8 quarterfinal showdown against Mamelodi Sundowns at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Sunday‚ August 15.

The match-up against all-powerful Downs‚ who cruised to a record fourth-straight DStv Premiership title in 2020-21‚ and rebuilt Chiefs will be seen as an early litmus test of Amakhosi’s ability to make an impact in the new campaign.

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