Stuart Baxter has bounced back to the hot seat as he was appointed as Kaizer Chiefs’ new Head Coach. Baxter replaces the Gavin Hunt who was sacked despite guiding Amakhosi to the Total CAF Champions League semifinals.

A poor finish to the season in the DSTV Premiership saw the club release Hunt from his contract at the end of May, 2021.

Baxter’s first spell at the Amakhosi between 2012 and 2015 was a successful, trophy laden period in which he led Chiefs to league titles in the 2012/2013 and 2014/2015 seasons, and to a runners-up spot in 2013/2014.

The club also won the Nedbank Cup title in his first season in 2012/2013 and the MTN8 in 2014/15 under his tenure.

“I am feeling very, very comfortable with the decision to come back here,” Baxter said at the Kaizer Chiefs village in Naturena following his appointment, six years after he was last coach of the club,” Baxter told the club’s official website.

“I think this time there will be a lot of expectations. I will have to manage that. This time, it’s a tougher league. The league has improved and even the bottom teams are no pushovers. Now, they are all tight games.”

When Baxter was last at the Amakhosi, he ended an eight-year wait for the league title at the club. And given the barren trophy less spell he again walks into, he is under no illusions of the magnitude of his task.

The English-born coach returns to Chiefs on a two year contract, with an option to renew for a further two years.