I’m staying put, says Baxter

DISAPPOINTED: ‘WE LACKED DESIRE AGAINST WITS’

Chiefs chase record 21st victory of the season in match against Chippa United tomorrow.

Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter remains unmoved by rumours he may not return to Naturena next season. Baxter, fresh from winning his second Absa Premiership title in three years with Amakhosi, said he was still contracted to Chiefs and had no plans to leave.

“I have a year remaining on my current contract and I remain the coach of Kaizer Chiefs until something happens,” he said yesterday.

The Briton was yesterday named Absa Premiership Coachof- for April and May, even though he spent two games in April in the stands serving a Premier Soccer League suspension. He was banned after being sent off during the Nedbank Cup match against Black Leopards.

Lerato Lamola, the Bloemfontein Celtic striker, won the Playerof-the-Month award. Baxter and Lamola both received R5 000.

Baxter has done well at Chiefs, but there is speculation he is unhappy with some of the transfer deals conducted by the club.

Baxter was reportedly disappointed in January when Amakhosi sold Kingston Nkhatha to SuperSport United and bought Chippa United’s David Zulu.

Zulu has had limited game time since arriving at the club’s Naturena headquarters.

On Wednesday, Amakhosi lost 2-1 to Bidvest Wits at FNB Stadium, a result which dashed their hopes of finishing the season with more than 70 points.

However, with 66 points they have already set a record for a 16team Premiership.

Henrico Botes and Patrick Sekese scored for Wits and Siphiwe Tshabalala replied for Chiefs with a spectacular free kick.

Baxter said he was disappointed with his players’ performance against Wits as they did not show the same hunger they displayed when beating Sundowns 1-0 last week.

“I think over the 90 minutes we did not have the desire to win,” he said.

“It was uncharacteristic of us to concede a goal in that fashion.

“Wits played well and they wanted it more than us. They came to us while we sat back.”

Chiefs’ final league match of the season is against Chippa United in Port Elizabeth tomorrow afternoon. If they win, it will it will be their 21st victory of the season, another record for a 16-team Premiership.