STUART Baxter is more excited at the thought of Christmas pudding than he is about the January transfer window and the upcoming PSL break.

Chiefs played their final league game of the year on Tuesday night, beating AmaZulu 2-0 at FNB Stadium to remain top of the log going into the recess.

Asked what thrilled him more between the seven-week break and the transfer window period, a smiling Baxter added a third option: "I thought you were going to ask about the Christmas pudding, and that would have been my reply.

"Maybe the break is not as 100% bad for us as we think. A lot of players looked tired out there and maybe they need a break."

Baxter will have to work on preparing his team for the second half of the season without possibly eight of his key players, who could be in camp with Bafana Bafana for the Africa Cup of Nations.

The Afcon tournament, hosted by South Africa, ends on February 10, just two days before Chiefs resume their fixture list with a game against Mamelodi Sundowns.

Baxter is also likely to have a tough time convincing the Chiefs hierarchy to let him buy a few more players to beef up the team.

"When you are top of the league table it is difficult to tell anyone that we need to strengthen. But I will have one eye on Afcon and the other on the transfer window," Baxter said.