Stuart Baxter: Kaizer Chiefs ‘chasing the best position we can get’

Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter is hoping his players will maintain their focus and build some form of consistency as they look to finish in a respectable position in the DStv Premiership season.

Amakhosi earned a 3-1 victory away to Chippa United in Gqeberha on Saturday to keep their chances alive of at least finishing second and claiming a spot in next year's Caf Champions League.

Striker Samir Nurković and substitutes Keagan Dolly and Cole Alexander scored Amakhosi’s goals while Eva Nga scored his 10th league goal of the season and a consolation for relegation-threatened Chippa.

“We're chasing the best position we can get, that's what we're chasing,” Baxter said after Saturday's game where injury-troubled Nurkovic scored his first league goal this season.

“We don't know how high we can finish but what I do know is that if we keep on playing properly and keep winning, we'll be in a good place in the end.”

Baxter hopes the win will change his players’ attitude towards matches and give them a belief that they are capable of finding consistency, a virtue they've lacked this current campaign.

“I hope it confirms for the players that when we play our way, when we play through and when we play calmly in possession and when we have good movement, and have certain patterns and set plays within play, we can hurt anybody and play well against anybody.

“At the same time if we don't do that we know we can shoot ourselves in the foot. We've got proof of that now and I don't how much proof we need to stay focused. But, from here now until the end, that would be the message.”

The Chiefs mentor will be looking to see the focus he's talking about coming through in his players when Chiefs host TS Galaxy at FNB Stadium on Tuesday where a win would send Amakhosi to second spot, 10 points behind leaders Mamelodi Sundowns.

“Beware of the man with nothing to lose — that's what my father used to tell me,” Baxter said of Galaxy, a team that knocked Chiefs out of the Nedbank Cup this season.

“They know they put us out of Nedbank.  We're still smarting, so we'll be going for it and they'll be in revenge mode themselves [after their 4-1 loss to Royal AM at the weekend]. So I'm sure it will be a difficult game for both teams.”

Baxter was happy with how his charges reacted after Chippa cancelled their first-half lead on Saturday.

“I'm delighted with the three points and it means we can now keep kicking on and be a bit optimistic. The win puts pressure on everybody else as well to take their points.”

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