Doc ain't taking any calls

DOCTOR Khumalo, Kaizer Chiefs' stand-in coach in Stuart Baxter's absence from the dugout in the two remaining PSL matches, will not be carrying a cellphone on the bench.

In a bit of banter yesterday, the Amakhosi assistant coach was asked if he would be receiving instructions from Baxter through his cellphone in the match against SuperSport United at the Peter Mokaba Stadium tomorrow night.

Khumalo was emphatic in his response: "No, no, no ... that's old fashioned. I work with Stuart, not for Stuart, and there's a difference.

"If I work for him I'll have a cellphone on the bench because I won't know what to do. But because I work with him, there shouldn't be much of a change."

The teasing comes on the back of frenetic scenes in a Premier League match last week when Black Leopards were thumped 5-2 by Mamelodi Sundowns.

Leopards chairman David Thidiela, whose desperation has spiralled from watching his side's bid to avoid relegation, was caught on camera sending messages - from the stands - to his technical team to make changes during the match.

But Khumalo said his task was to simply enforce what he and Baxter would have worked on in the build-up to the games against Matsatsantsa and University of Pretoria on Saturday.

" I know what is expected of me and I have sat on the bench before and led the team in more difficult situations. We won't have to change anything because what is important is to win the two last matches."

The former Bafana Bafana midfielder paid glowing tribute to Baxter, who could also win the Nedbank Cup in his first season at Chiefs.

"I'd like to thank him for coming on board and doing so well. We thought we would take it step by step and we did not anticipate being where we are at the moment in his first year here," Khumalo said.