New Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter says he was taken aback when he saw the negativity that greeted his re-appointment to the national team two weeks ago.

The Briton said after winning numerous titles with former club Kaizer Chiefs and outgoing employers SuperSport United in the last couple of years‚ he did not expect the disapproval that accompanied his return to a job he left in November 2005.

South African Football Association (Safa) president Danny Jordaan and CEO Dennis Mumble introduced Baxter to the media for the first time since his appointment on Monday afternoon and they revealed that the new man had been given a five-year contract at the helm.

Acknowledging that he took note of the reaction that accompanied his return to Safa House‚ Baxter said he hoped that the nation’s soccer lovers would get behind the national team ahead of the difficult 2019 African Nations Cup qualifier against Nigeria next month.

“Now when my name is mentioned with the national team again we got a lot of negativity‚” Baxter said on Monday.

“I understand that the media has a job to do and the criticism is a part of our lives‚ negative and positive criticism‚ but I just want to highlight one thing‚ not Stuart Baxter here‚ and that’s how we can all get behind the national team.

“Danny (Jordaan) spoke about all of us getting behind the national team. One ambition I have got‚ while I am national coach‚ is to try and unite the whole football family behind the development of the game in this country.

“Yes‚ I have got ambitions short term. I want to win games and I want to qualify this country to big tournaments.

“But on the long term basis‚ I would love to see this country united.

"I think that if we are united – the Premier Soccer League‚ the clubs‚ the national teams‚ the supporters and the media – I think we would be united behind a strategy‚ united behind a vision‚ then I think this country would be a powerhouse of Africa and continue to do well in world football."

Baxter's technical staff was not announced on Monday and Owen da Gama is likely to continue working as his assistant coach in the short term.

And while he will continue with SuperSport until the end of the season‚ a compromise has been reached and the new Bafana coach will not travel with the club to Confederation of African Football matches in the coming weeks.

He will begin preparations for next month's Nations Cup encounter against the Super Eagles and national team manager Barney Kujane will get the ball rolling when he travels to Nigeria on Tuesday to begin his inspection of venues and facilities.

Baxter acknowledged that his first spell as Bafana coach under former Safa president Molefi Oliphant had its challenges and he was convinced to return when Jordaan and Mumble gave him an understanding of what they want to achieve.

“(Safa's) Vision 2022 has already started and it was one of the reasons I considered coming back because as you know my first period as national coach was not friction-free.

“So to bring me back into this job‚ the president and the CEO‚ and my respect for what they are trying to do in South African football‚ that enabled me to come back thinking that this could be different (this time.) I really hope that it will be.”

Signalling a massive departure from his sacked predecessor Ephraim “Shakes” Mashaba’s regime‚ Baxter said he would travel to Europe and visit all the South African players plying their trade overseas.

Mashaba was reluctant to visit the overseas-based players and often clashed with Jordaan over the issue.

Baxter also said he would work with Safa Technical Director Neil Tovey and give him his input‚ which is another departure from his predecessor. - TMG Digital/TMG Sport