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Caf Champions League: Kaizer Chiefs are covered 'with or without Baxter' vs Al Ahly - club
The tactician was appointed to coach Amakhosi on June 9 after the exit of Gavin Hunt, but has not yet secured his work permit
PSL heavyweights Kaizer Chiefs are still optimistic about securing Stuart Baxter's work permit in order for him to be on the bench when they take on Al Ahly in the Caf Champions League final next weekend.
Amakhosi announced the return of the 67-year-old on June 9, two weeks after axing Gavin Hunt.
He signed a two-year contract with an option to extend it by a further two years, with Arthur Zwane and Dillon Sheppard, who were interim co-coaches after being part of Hunt's backroom staff, serving as his assistants.
However, the tactician has not yet secured his work permit and his assistants did the job in the semi-finals to ensure Chiefs sealed their place in the final.
The Soweto giants have since provided an update regarding the tactician's status.
"You can work on the status quo as it has been for the last two matches," Kaizer Chiefs communications officer Vina Maphosa told SportUnlocked.
"We are hoping that we’ll get the work permit before we travel to Casablanca and have the coach on the bench.
"But as things stand we are covered. If on the bench or not on the bench, we are good."
Amakhosi are keeping their cards close to their chest to avoid giving their opponents hints on who will be involved in the final to be played in Casablanca, Morocco.
"All the players are travelling to Morocco and on the day before the final we will reveal who will be available and who will not be available," Maphosa continued.
"We will keep our cards close to our chest. It’s intelligent to keep the cards to our chest and not to give away to the opposition. People like Pitso [Mosimane] know our players."
Chiefs finished the just-ended Premier Soccer League season eighth on the table after a difficult domestic campaign in which they missed out on the MTN8 and the Nedbank Cup trophies.
In the 30 matches they played, Chiefs managed only eight wins, 12 draws, and 10 losses. They further scored 34 goals and conceded 37, ending the campaign with 36 points.
They hope to end the season on a high by winning the Champions League for the first time in their history.
