Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter shares his thoughts ahead of Amakhosi’s first DStv Premiership home match of the 2021-22 season against Baroka.

On lessons from the goalless draw against TS Galaxy:

“We hope we learn something from every event. Like a very wise man once said, we never lose. We either learn, or we win.  Even though this was a draw, there was still plenty to learn. The players have come back with renewed vigour. They were disappointed that we didn’t get a better result and with the fact that we had so many opportunities to build good attacks that we let run away from us. The opponents were working hard to stop us from playing, but we felt we had enough opportunities to create more. We’ve been working on that, on our build up play and our play in and around the box. We’ve tweaked it a little bit and I think the boys are fired up and optimistic again.

On maintaining good performances:

“We have to keep performing well. If you lose a game here and there, (but) if you’re performing well, in the long run you will keep on collecting points. If you’re playing badly and luckily winning a game, sometimes there’s a landmine that’s going to explode and it’s going to be all over the place. We want performances first and then the results will come and that’s what we have to have our full focus on.

Expectations of supporters to see new signings playing for Amakhosi:

“Sifiso Hlanti is a new player as well, and he’s played. Some of the players have had long layoffs, some had injuries they were recovering from. It’s meant you’re never going to be able to throw six or seven players into a starting line-up. Some of the players maybe came and were surprised at how big a deal it is to play for Kaizer Chiefs. The expectations on them is something that’s different from what they are used to. So, bedding in, getting fit, up to speed, that all takes time and that will happen at different rates. We will keep trying to balance the team, bring players in at the right speed, and then we will see how we go. We have a couple of players in the national team, which we are very proud of, and we are now better equipped to fight for places.

On having just one shot at goal against Galaxy:

‘They say one shot on goal, but in the whole game there were probably three or four. I’m more worried about the build-up play to get us into those situations. We had two or three excellent situations that we wasted. Rather than looking at the shots at goal, we rather say those situations we have got to make a strike on goal out of. That’s my focus, I’m looking at the way we play, more than the single statistics, because that can lead you all over the place.

On facing a difficult Baroka:

“Gone are the days that you get a team and you think this is going to be an easier game. Baroka have always been a difficult opponent for Chiefs. Baroka will have their tails up, they will come into this game knowing they have done it before, and they will want to do it again. There’s no being a super favourite to win the game, there’s none of that anymore. Every game is a different proposition and a difficult proposition. We’ve got to work out how we can be an unpleasant opponent for Baroka and not wait for them to be an unpleasant opponent for us. That’s got to be where the focus has got to be. The boys have done really well in training and they’re pretty fired up.

On returning for his first home league game for Kaizer Chiefs after his previous successful spell at the club:

“You can look at history and you can enjoy those thoughts. But none of those thoughts and memories are going to help us when we walk out over the line against Baroka. It would have been really nice if there were supporters in the stadium. They can be assured that we will do everything we can to gel this team, to bring the new boys in and mix them with the more experienced players. That process we hope will go quickly. We hope the supporters will have a little bit of patience. We know they are not going to have unending patience. We’re professional sportsmen and that’s what we’ve got to deal with.”