Baxter start ‘bright but not the best’
Stuart Baxter might have got Kaizer Chiefs off to a flying start in the Premier Soccer League this season but his haul of 27 points is not the best start by a new Kaizer Chiefs coach in the Premier Soccer League era.
New coach Baxter has seen his side go through their first 11 league games unbeaten, winning eight and drawing three before they lost their record to Platinum Stars some 10 days ago.
But his effort failed to better that of veteran Ted Dumitru, whose first season back in charge of Chiefs in 2003 saw the club go through their first 12 matches with nine wins, two draws and a single loss for a haul of 29 points.
Dumitru is also the last Chiefs coach to take the club to the league title, which he did in his second season in 2004/2005 after which he retired.
His replacement Ernst Middendorp started the 2005/6 season with an unbeaten run through the first 12 games, but won just four games, including the derby against Orlando Pirates. The other eight were drawn.
Paul Dolezar started in 1997 with seven wins, three draws and two loses while Muhsin Ertugral’s first 12 games in 1999 returned five wins, four draws and three losses.
His second spell in 2007 saw just two wins, seven draws and three losses in his firs 12 games after he re-joined Chiefs from Ajax Cape Town.
Vladimir Vermezovic had a horror start with five losses in his first five games in 2009.
Chiefs play their 13th game of the new season at Polokwane on Tuesday when they host Ajax.
