Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter has warned they will be unpleasant to handle if they get off to a good start in the Premier Soccer League this season.

The Amakhosi struggled last season in the top-flight as they managed to finish the season in position eight with 36 points from 30 matches, a whopping 31 points behind champions Mamelodi Sundowns while AmaZulu came second on 54 points.

After beating their rivals Orlando Pirates on penalties to win the Carling Black Label Cup on Sunday, Baxter, who last won the team silverware, feels the new signings have shown him quality and if they can start the season well, then it will be difficult to handle them.

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What has Baxter said?

“So‚ yeah‚, of course, some of the bigger principals we’ve been talking about have been involved. But this time – I think some of these boys have had four sessions with me,” Baxter said as quoted by Sowetan live.

“So that was great [on Sunday] in terms of information. Identify: do we play 4-2-3-1‚ do we play with three at the back‚ do we play a normal 4-3-3? How do the players suit that shape? Is ‘Bibo’ [Sabelo Radebe] a candidate now?

“So all of that I’ve got to digest‚ I’ve got one week where we’ll play a friendly game‚ and then one week to Sundowns. So we don’t have a lot of time‚ but I think the boys are doing really well.

“Maybe it’ll be a work in progress for the first few games in the season. But if we get off to a decent start and we’re there or thereabouts‚ I think as we improve we could be a bit unpleasant to deal with a bit further down the line.”

Baxter also feels playing in the final of the Caf Champions League has left the Soweto giants playing catch-up in their pre-season preparations for the 2021-22 season.

“We get through [our last two league] games‚ then you’ve got the [Champions League] semi-finals. We got beaten 4-0 [by Wydad in the group stage]‚ so you’ve got to identify a gameplan‚” Baxter continued.

“Then you’ve got the final‚ Al Ahly – how are you going to play? You get through that game.

“So it’s only really after Al Ahly‚ when we got all the new players in‚ that we started thinking of the bigger picture [for 2021-22].

Chiefs will open their new campaign with an MTN8 quarter-final clash against Sundowns at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Sunday‚ August 15.

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