Speaking to the media ahead of the game against Chippa United, Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter has opened up on the pressure he faces at the club.
The 67-year-old returned to Naturena for a second stint as he previously held the same position between 2012 and 2015, where he lifted two league trophies, one MTN8 Cup as well as one Nedbank Cup.
Things haven’t gone to plan for Baxter as Amakhosi haven’t won any of their last four games in the DStv Premiership, having drawn two and lost two as well.
Baxter, though, has some sort of ridiculed a question whether he feels under pressure about his job, explaining that while pressure is part of the game he should deserve more time.
“I think every coach’s job is under pressure every day, that’s the nature of the world that we work in,” Baxter told reporters.
“I read an article by Southampton’s Chairman, where he said that Southampton have not won a game this year, but the coach is safe because ‘we support the coach, he is promoting, and we support the green shoots that we’re seeing’.
“I mean, that’s the real pressure of the job, if a club don’t see any green shoots, they don’t respect the coach that is promoting within the club, the learning that’s happening, then you’re under real pressure.
“The social media and what people think changes so quickly nowadays. You know, I came into the club with no virtually pre-season, we played six games and you’re asking me if my job is under pressure.
“I’m the only coach that has won anything in the last 18 years with Kaizer Chiefs and then after the six games my job is under pressure.
“Your question, I understand it, because there is that sort of ver fast tsunami that can pick up nowadays on social media.
“Our job is down to mental strength, we talked about before, and make sure that you still carry on the job properly. So I would say yes, every coach is threatened every day of his career now. That is the job that we have.
“And sometimes clubs make good decisions, and sometimes they make bad ones, but they’re also not infallible decisions. But we have to really believe that in the real football world you’ve got you’ve got a little more time and patience.”
