Baxter finally sheds his palooka label
It has taken him the best part of a decade to shake off the label.
PORT ELIZABETH, SOUTH AFRICA – MAY 09: pre-match interview with Stuart Baxter, Head Coach of Kaizer Chiefs, during the Absa Premiership match between Chippa United and Kaizer Chiefs at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on May 09, 2015 in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. (Photo by Richard Huggard/Gallo Images)
When Stuart Baxter, a journeyman player born in Wolverhampton, was first appointed as coach of Bafana Bafana in 2004, he was greeted by a front page newspaper article which pointedly posed the question: “Who is this palooka?”
It has taken Baxter the best part of a decade, including Premier Soccer League championships in 2013 and 2015, plus a Nedbank Cup and an MTN8 with Kaizer Chiefs, and adding another Nedbank Cup as coach at SuperSport United last year just for good measure, to provide the answer in his second stint at the helm of the national team.
In his first outing since his reinstatement, Baxter did what no coach has managed before him and snatched the first positive result in a competitive tournament over the Super Eagles of Nigeria.
And, more important, grabbed a precious away win against the West African giants in a 2-0 victory in their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
It may not have been the most riveting football – although it is hard to argue about a two-goal margin without reply and two other strikes which came desperately close – but there is no remarks column on the scoreboard.
It is also too early to judge Baxter just yet, but clearly he is no palooka.
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