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Johannesburg - Kaizer Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter confirmed after Tuesday’s win over Bloemfontein Celtic that striker Kingston Nkhatha will be fined by the club for simulation.
Nkhatha was sent through on goal midway through Tuesday’s opening half but preferred to fall clumsily to the ground inside the area and pleaded for a penalty.
The performance was feeble at best and Nkhatha failed to persuade referee Thabo Nkosi of an infringement, prompting Baxter to launch a scathing attack from the sideline on his striker. Nkhatha had looked in a promising position with little but the goalkeeper to beat.
“Very often people throw themselves (trying to earn a free-kick). I don’t like Kingston throwing himself … he’ll get fined for that.
“He’ll be fined for throwing himself because he should have got a yellow card.
“The referee has got to give him a yellow card. I’ll fine him and I’ll try and teach him, but the referee gives him a yellow card and that teaches him not to do it.”
According to law 12 in the FIFA rule-book, a player may be cautioned: “… if a player attempts to deceive the referee by feigning injury or pretending to have been fouled.”
Baxter, no stranger to having his say about referees after a game, explained the referees’ roles were vital for the coaches.
“I know I’m going to be criticised for slaughtering the referees but I’m not doing that. I’m saying that they are as important to [us coaches] in educating the players.
“When it’s so up in the air, it’s a big issue. I just have that opinion that they’ve got to be better so that we can also be better and do our job properly.”
Chiefs went on to win the game 1-0, courtesy of Mandla Masango’s 80th minute goal, his fourth in five games.
