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The week-long rain has dissipated in Gauteng and the clear blue skies set the sunshine on Kaizer Chiefs players as they go about their morning training session on Thursday.
With a slightly obscured view from the parking lot at Chiefs’ base in Naturena, southern Johannesburg, the Amakhosi players are pacing up and down on one of the beautifully manicured lush green training fields some distance below.
Obstructing the full view is the team’s goalkeeper coach Lee Baxter, who is strategically positioned behind the goalposts to keep a close eye on his charge Itumeleng Khune.
There was a big panic at the club last season when Khune was sidelined by a shoulder injury for nine months.
But even without the one-time Bafana Bafana regular No 1, there is no doubt that the solid and stable defence has been one of the hallmarks of Chiefs’ impressive run so far.
These are some of the factors that have rekindled some hope that Amakhosi could be on their way to ending a four-year silverware drought. Some people had their doubts initially, implying that the good start to the season was more like Chiefs was holding a place for another team.
This perception is illustrated by a meme which shows a dog standing on a pile of cans that have been arranged in a pyramid format.
It’s a witty twist on a popular township game called black toti, three tins or simply dithini. After 13 league games, coach Ernst Middendorp’s team are leading the race, with trailers SuperSport United and Mamelodi Sundowns – jointly on 24 points – 10 points adrift of Amakhosi.
Following in father’s footsteps
Baxter junior is keen to emulate his father, Stuart Baxter, the last coach to deliver trophies at Naturena – the Absa Premiership and the MTN8 Cup during the 2014/15 season.
“Obviously I want the bragging rights to tell him that I also won a trophy here, not just you,” chuckled Lee as we sit side by side on a bench at the club’s official merchandise store for our interview.
“If you’re working for a big club such as Kaizer Chiefs, your main goal should be to bring silverware to the club – at least one trophy per season.
“Without sounding big-headed, I think we have the capacity to deliver that. And obviously en route to that there are smaller goals such as keeping a clean sheet.
“Clean sheets mean points and points mean trophies ... that kind of a stepping stone idea,” added Baxter, who joined Chiefs in February last year as a replacement for the club’s late keeper trainer Alexandre Revoredo.
Read: Catch us if you can, Chiefs warn their foes
Adapting to life without infield influence of Khune
Even without Khune (32), who limped off with a groin injury sustain during a match against Baroka FC in September in just his second official appearance of the season, Baxter seems to have found the right formula in Chiefs’ last line of defence.
Nigerian international Daniel Akpeyi (33) has played regularly, with Bruce Bvuma also contributing on the few occasions the 24-year-old has been called into action. The team also promoted 16-year-old Bontle Molefe from the reserves in February.
“Looking from the goalkeepers’ perspective, I feel that the keepers we are using today have all got leadership qualities.
“They walk and talk the game together with the backline and stay connected with them,” explained Baxter, constantly moving his heavily tattooed muscular arms with different hand gestures to make his point.
He also raved about the club’s longstanding legacy of nurturing household-name keepers.
“The club in general have had a good history with goalkeeper coaches – Rainer [Dinkelacker], Dennis [Rudel], Alex [Revoredo], Brian [Baloyi] and also the guys across the academy.
The defining point
“If you look at last season, we were quite inconsistent. We rotated goalkeepers. Well, we had to quite frequently, which also goes hand in hand with the team’s performance. We were quite inconsistent as a collective,” said Baxter.
“The most important thing for us is consistency. Sometimes you can’t avoid being injured or suspended but the more consistent the selections are and the more time on the field the players get together, the better understanding they have of each other.
“And that already started in the pre-season. So that has been defining for us.”
A big team around the team
Chiefs’ good performances are not just “a one-man thing”, Baxter pointed out.
“I also think it’s my job as a goalkeeper coach, together with [assistant] coach Shaun Bartlett, [head] coach Middendorp, Jared [Marsh] the physical trainer, Tinus [van Rensburg], Dave Milner [physiotherapist] ... It’s a big team around the team [of players] and we sort of found a good working relationship.
“Our roles and responsibilities have been made very clear. The responsibilities of the goalkeepers are to push each other every day and have healthy competition.
“The guys need to realise that whether it’s Itu or Daniel or Bruce or Brylon [Lee Petersen] or Bontle, you start the game and you’re a minute away from playing.
“My clear message to them was ‘make sure you are ready because if you’re not, and the chance comes up and you don’t take it, your kick is off’ ... ”
Akpeyi’s award a huge reward for goalies
With their comeback 5-3 win over Bloemfontein Celtic, the eight-goal thriller was the first time this season that Amakhosi had conceded more than two goals.
Still, Chiefs boast the league’s third best defensive record with only 10 goals conceded – behind Maritzburg United with nine, while Bidvest Wits have let in seven although the Clever Boys are four matches behind.
Baxter’s charges, Akpeyi in particular, have contributed massively to Chiefs’ keeping seven clean slates.
This year’s Afcon bronze medal winner with Nigeria was voted the Premiership player of the month for September/October.
During the period under review, Akpeyi was also instrumental in Chiefs’ 2-0 win over Mamelodi Sundowns in Pretoria on October 27. The victory enhanced Amakhosi’s grip on the top of the Premiership log as well as helped them open a gap from the chasing pack.
“That player of the month [award] is a credit to the group, the goalkeepers for the work that they put in every day and the rest of the players,” reflected Baxter.
“We analyse the opponents and debrief, and the routine around that has been good.
“I always think we’ve got room to improve. And together with the team, the goalkeepers are performing well. But I am not entirely happy because the season is still ongoing and I want to make it last until the end.
“Our ultimate goal is to keep going as long as we can. Hopefully, we’ll see ourselves with the Premiership title [at the end of the season],” said Baxter, as a parting shot.
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