Arthur Zwane denies Baxter's claims that he and Sheppard back-stabbed the former Chiefs coach

Kaizer Chiefs coach Arthur Zwane has irritably addressed his predecessor Stuart Baxter's insinuations that him and Dillon Sheppard back-stabbed him when he was sidelined by Covid-19 during his tenure at Naturena, revealing the Brit was betrayed by his own son Lee, the club's goalkeeper trainer at the time.

Baxter recently told SABC Sports that when he was away due to Covid-19, there were things that were done against his will at the club, hinting there were players who were given minutes without his approval.

“After I had Covid around the mid-season break, I realised even before then that there were agendas within the club. Those agendas were going to be satisfied whether I liked it or not, there were going to be things going on in the background, possibly not what I thought was the correct decision but it was going to be done,” Baxter said as per SABC Sports. 

Speaking during the team's media open-day at their Naturena base yesterday, Zwane reiterated that Sheppard and him never betrayed Baxter. The Chiefs coach revealed, without detailing, that Lee was the one who back-stabbed his father.

“If he can elaborate how we back-stabbed him. We thought we were working with someone who we can learn from... someone that'll be our mentor. He's the one who said he didn't want the young players and I don't know why he was saying that. If he wants us to challenge him head-on, then we'll do it because they come here and disrespect us and expect us to keep quiet. His son [Lee] back-stabbed him, not us because he was a problem as well,” Zwane said.

Zwane, who would replace Baxter before the start of the current campaign, argued that having a thin squad due to Covid-19 is the only reason they had to play some players who were seemingly not his successor's cup of team.

“When I listen to him [Baxter] carefully or to what was said on radio [SABC's Metro FM], the problem started when he was sick. So, if I can break it down how it all started, he's actually exposing himself because that weekend we were playing against Swallows, I was also sick and then coach Sheppy followed,” Zwane stated.

“When we were supposed to play against Cape Town City, I was still recovering ... coach Sheppy was still recovering, and when you look at the XI against Swallows, Ntiya-Ntiya was in the team, Mashiane went in and most of the youngsters played because we already had Covid cases.

We had to balance the team because some players couldn't play 90 minutes but at some point we were told we have to play this one... how can you tell people to play so and so who's not ready when you are sitting at home sick? And then you come and say the team was going the other direction and we came in and change things. No, those were the players available.''