STUART BAXTER AND CRITICS NEED TO MEET HALFWAY

Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter ought to begin preparing an early Christmas card for Mali counterpart Mohamed Magassouba. Had the Eagles not beaten Angola 1-0, guaranteeing South Africa’s place in the last 16 of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, it is difficult to see how the former Kaizer Chiefs coach could have kept his job.

Baxter has a strained relationship with the South African public and did little to endear himself by referring to them as “56 million waiting to chop our heads off”. Little surprise, then, that there are many who feel the national team would be better off without him.

As Bafana prepare to face Egypt in a last 16 encounter for which they are going to need all the help they can get, the question still lingers: how did Baxter’s relationship with the national team’s supporters turn sour and is divorce the only answer? As with all marital problems, a little bit of introspection makes it clear that the solution is not as straightforward as we would like to believe.

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This question is asked far too infrequently, not just of Baxter but of every coach that presides over our beloved national team. Often, the South African public only sees the benefits of each one in hindsight.

When Baxter does vacate his job for whatever reason, there is a high chance we are going to miss the solidity he has given us. Bafana Bafana conceded just four goals in nine matches throughout AFCON qualifying and the group stage combined.

If you think this is a coincidence, just look at Baxter’s record at Kaizer Chiefs — Amakhosi had the best defensive record in the Absa Premiership in each of his three seasons in charge, improving year on year and conceding 14 goals en route to the title in his final campaign.

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It is often said that each team is a reflection of its head coach. Baxter’s team selection shows us that he is a stubborn leader. Whether we love or hate him, we have to recognise that this trait reflects in the way his sides defend for their lives.

Next time we praise the way his players shut up shop, we ought to spare a thought for the Englishman. He deserves not only criticism for his shortcomings, but also praise for what he gets right.

Baxter’s frustration with the South African public probably, perhaps understandably, stems from a sense that his achievements here have been too easily forgotten. The harsh truth, however, is that the very stubbornness which has brought him so much success will be his downfall if he refuses to concede an inch.

His attitude when defending the decision to train at the luxurious Steyn City rather than a more accessible venue last year summed up everything that has gone wrong during his tenure. As quoted by TimesLIVE, Baxter said: “About taking the game to the people‚ I haven’t really got a clue what that is.”

He clearly hasn’t a clue what taking suggestions from “the people” is either judging by his persistent refusal to play Absa Premiership Player of the Season Thembinkosi Lorch. It’s not just every Tom, Dick and Solms who wants to see him budge on this issue, but also former Bafana Bafana captain Steven Pienaar.

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Baxter appears wholly unconcerned with managing public perception, though, and there are tell-tale signs that it is affecting his players. Everything ranging from lacklustre performances to a tweet from Darren Keet claiming that “when you have faith in yourselves, you don’t need others to believe in you” suggests as much.

While it is indeed important to have self-confidence regardless of what others say, Baxter should want to help make Keet and co feel as if 56 million people DO believe in them. Although Keet did not clarify who his tweet was aimed at, let’s be honest: it would be surprising based on what we’ve all seen online if the goalkeeper felt the South African public truly backed Bafana’s chances of success.

We as supporters and the media have to pull our weight in mending this broken relationship, but our coach has to return the favour. Rather than taking our criticism personally and deepening the divide, he needs to make us feel like he truly values us as fans of the national team.

If Baxter finds a way to reach a compromise with the public, then I believe supporters will make his team feel significantly more valued and trusted than they currently do. A good start would be changing his attitude in press conferences and utilising Lorch — even if only off the bench.

The 65-year-old was on the right track when he acknowledged that South Africans are looking to the national football team for a glimmer of hope during a trying time for our country. One thing we can surely all agree on is that Bafana are looking to the public for hope too.

There is still time for Baxter to save his marriage with the Bafana supporters. However, whether we win, lose or draw against Egypt, it’s time we start understanding each other more.

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