Stuart Baxter expects a number of teams to be challenging for Absa Premiership honours come the end of the season‚ bucking the trend of the last few campaigns that have seen a runaway winner.
Mamelodi Sundowns claimed the league by a full 14 points last season‚ and before that Baxter’s Kaizer Chiefs by 12.
And you have to go back to the 2012/13 season for a campaign where there were more than just two genuine title contenders come the closing months of the campaign.
Now with SuperSport United‚ Baxter has not ruled out the possibility of five or six teams being involved in the final few weeks this season‚ and suggested even that South Africa may have their own ‘Leicester City’ in the form of a Lamontville Golden Arrows or Polokwane City
“Sundowns will be in the mix‚ they will pick up wins‚ but there will be a couple of games where they will drop points like they have been doing because maybe they couldn’t get themselves up for it‚” Baxter said as his side missed out on the opportunity to go top after conceding a last-gasp equaliser in a 1-1 draw at leaders Cape Town City on Friday.
“I don’t think anybody will run away with it. Cape Town City had been on a fantastic run‚ but the last two results for them have probably been very disappointing. If they had knocked us over they could have been really on their way.
“I think it will be tight‚ there are potentially a few clubs that could be involved in it. What we need to do is just dig in and be there or thereabouts at the end. I think we could be a dangerous outsider.
“I think Wits will be there‚ Sundowns‚ Kaizer Chiefs have to right their wrongs first‚ but they should be [challenging]‚ Pirates should be too.
“You can also get another one or two in there‚ a Golden Arrows or a Polokwane City that could force themselves in … a ‘Leicester City that is there riding the wave.”
Baxter also cautioned Cape Town City‚ who beat his side in the Telkom Knockout final last weekend‚ that they will now be a ‘marked’ opposition with other teams eager to beat the trophy winners
“I think Cape Town City have done that until now [ridden the wave]‚ but now after winning the cup expectations are more.
“[West Ham United manager] Slaven Bilic was talking this week about expectations … last year nothing‚ this year they can’t buy a result because people think they will win every game.
“Cape Town City are going to experience that now. They’ve won a cup and people are going to say‚ ‘you’re not newcomers’‚ they will find lots of reasons why there is going to be pressure on them‚ which changes the game.
“But for them it is the same as with us‚ if they can dig in and get to the end of the season‚ they will be one of the teams in the mix.”
SuperSport end 2016 with a home match against Polokwane City on Wednesday. — TMG Digital
Baxter expects six teams to challenge for the PSL title this season
Stuart Baxter expects a number of teams to be challenging for Absa Premiership honours come the end of the season‚ bucking the trend of the last few campaigns that have seen a runaway winner.
Mamelodi Sundowns claimed the league by a full 14 points last season‚ and before that Baxter’s Kaizer Chiefs by 12.
And you have to go back to the 2012/13 season for a campaign where there were more than just two genuine title contenders come the closing months of the campaign.
Now with SuperSport United‚ Baxter has not ruled out the possibility of five or six teams being involved in the final few weeks this season‚ and suggested even that South Africa may have their own ‘Leicester City’ in the form of a Lamontville Golden Arrows or Polokwane City
“Sundowns will be in the mix‚ they will pick up wins‚ but there will be a couple of games where they will drop points like they have been doing because maybe they couldn’t get themselves up for it‚” Baxter said as his side missed out on the opportunity to go top after conceding a last-gasp equaliser in a 1-1 draw at leaders Cape Town City on Friday.
“I don’t think anybody will run away with it. Cape Town City had been on a fantastic run‚ but the last two results for them have probably been very disappointing. If they had knocked us over they could have been really on their way.
“I think it will be tight‚ there are potentially a few clubs that could be involved in it. What we need to do is just dig in and be there or thereabouts at the end. I think we could be a dangerous outsider.
“I think Wits will be there‚ Sundowns‚ Kaizer Chiefs have to right their wrongs first‚ but they should be [challenging]‚ Pirates should be too.
“You can also get another one or two in there‚ a Golden Arrows or a Polokwane City that could force themselves in … a ‘Leicester City that is there riding the wave.”
Baxter also cautioned Cape Town City‚ who beat his side in the Telkom Knockout final last weekend‚ that they will now be a ‘marked’ opposition with other teams eager to beat the trophy winners
“I think Cape Town City have done that until now [ridden the wave]‚ but now after winning the cup expectations are more.
“[West Ham United manager] Slaven Bilic was talking this week about expectations … last year nothing‚ this year they can’t buy a result because people think they will win every game.
“Cape Town City are going to experience that now. They’ve won a cup and people are going to say‚ ‘you’re not newcomers’‚ they will find lots of reasons why there is going to be pressure on them‚ which changes the game.
“But for them it is the same as with us‚ if they can dig in and get to the end of the season‚ they will be one of the teams in the mix.”
SuperSport end 2016 with a home match against Polokwane City on Wednesday. — TMG Digital
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