OPINION: Talking Chiefs up makes good sense

Kaizer Chiefs are unlikely to lift a trophy for a seventh successive season, but they will have the pleasure of a domestic league double over Orlando Pirates to look back on.

ALSO READ: How Baxter’s fight talk triumphed over Ncikazi’s honesty talk in derby

These are times when the Soweto giants seem destined to feed on scraps like neighbourhood bragging rights for a long period, as Mamelodi Sundowns feast on the main meal (the league title) time and time again.

The Tshwane giants suffered a rare defeat this weekend, while Chiefs took Pirates down 2-1, and Stuart Baxter’s attempts to talk up a title race are probably the right way to go for the Amakhosi mentor, as long as his side have a mathematical chance of catching Sundowns.

Fighting-talk aside, however, the reality is that Sundowns have probably already punched their way to a fifth successive Premiership crown, and if Chiefs are docked six points for the two matches they refused to attend in December, then even Baxter would have to admit that the conversation is well and truly over. At least in terms of Chiefs it is.

As it stands, it is Royal AM who are actually the closest challengers to Sundowns in the title race, a credit to their performances this season, however garish the behaviour of their owners is at times.

If all the talk, as well as actual on-field evidence, of hurling money at the problem in the form of player bonuses is true, it certainly seems to be working, as the team lead both Chiefs and Pirates in the table.

With two games in hand on Sundowns, and 15 points behind them, could the Premiership newbies launch a surprise late tilt at Masandawana’s crown?

Again, the answer is, in all likelihood, absolutely not, but both Chiefs and Royal AM have more hope than Pirates, whose only consolation is that they are still in two cups – the Caf Confederation Cup and Nedbank Cup – and may as well concentrate their efforts there.

It would be a credit to Mandla Ncikazi and Fadlu Davids if they can win the Nedbank Cup, and mastermind a good run in the knockout stages of the Caf Confederation Cup, but it is not a credit to them at all that they have sustained no sort of challenge to Sundowns, given the considerable investment in the Pirates squad.

Another defeat to Chiefs on Saturday would likely have left Pirates fans inside the stadium enraged, if any fans were allowed inside the stadium. Davids and Ncikazi might just be relieved that right now they are not exposed to such pressure.

Baxter has had his issues this season, but his team are far better off on the table than they were last season under Gavin Hunt, albeit that Chiefs’ current coach was able to dip into the transfer market to strengthen his team, a luxury not afforded to Hunt.

Chiefs have nothing to sustain them this season other than a title push, so maybe that is also why Baxter is so vocal about it.

In a sense it is win-win for the Amakhosi mentor. No one really expects Chiefs to do it, Baxter looks almost certain to stay next season regardless, and if he does do it, it will be a Premiership miracle of our times.