Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter has hit out at sections of the Amakhosi fanbase calling for him to resign, saying the club or he will make that decision if and when he is not positively affecting the team.
Chiefs suffered a disappointing 1-0 loss against SuperSport United on Saturday as they failed to welcome back their fans with a victory.
Those fans in attendance showed their dissatisfaction by chanting for Baxter “to go” while pelting objects in his direction.
Post-match, the coach insisted he believes he is still making a positive impact as he attempted to downplay the fans’ reaction.
“I don’t have any message to the fans because if they want me to go, I’ll go,” Baxter said, as quoted by iDiski Times. If the chairman says to me, “I don’t think you’re doing a good job” then I’ll walk. I’ve got no problem doing that.
“I will walk myself, if I don’t think I’m affecting the team in a positive way, I’ll walk, not a problem. I’m the only coach that has given this club any success in the last 20 years, but I’ve got to go because we dominate the game and lose 1-0? I’ve got to listen to that?
“It’s OK, they’re fans, they have the right to say exactly what they want. If that reflects what the chairman thinks and what the players think and the majority of our fans think, then maybe I should walk.
“But that’s nothing a group of fans will decide, that’s something the football club or I will decide. If I get that feeling, then of course I’ll walk. But at the moment I’m looking at it as a game we should’ve won but we didn’t and that happens in football.
“Our mindset is that of anxiety,” Baxter added. “I don’t know exactly why, but I said earlier that the Chiefs shirt can weigh heavy. When the players thinks of themselves or fans think that they’re not up to the required standard.
“Is it a concern, absolutely, and we have to ask ourselves why is that and then that will be something to fix in the walls of our training ground.”
Kaizer Chiefs next travel to face Stellenbosch FC on Saturday, 23 April, where they will be hoping to bounce back. Kick-off is scheduled for 5pm.
