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Baxter: I put pressure on myself

Cape Town - The pressure at SuperSport United might not be as high as it is at Kaizer Chiefs but that means nothing to Stuart Baxter, who has high expectations of himself.

The mentor joined a struggling Matsatsantsa side from Amakhosi via Turkey where he lasted only two matches.

"I am daily under scrutiny here because I do that myself," Baxter told Vodacom Soccer. "I scrutinise every step that I take on the training field.

"I think it's important that you do that, you keep asking yourself questions. In terms of other people's expectation, I tend to ignore that as much as I can so that I allow myself to do a proper job.

"If I am reacting all the time that the crowd don't like what we are doing or the journalists don't like it, then I can be easily swayed and I lose my focus.

"It's important that you find a bit of peace so that you can focus completely on what you want as a coach and what players need.

"The main thing is don't get distracted. I have done that before, the fact that SuperSport are not smack-bang in the limelight like Chiefs, Orlando Pirates or Mamelodi Sundowns, it doesn't affect me. I go and do my job."

Baxter will look to do his job against his former side Amakhosi when United visit them at the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday night. The mentor will look to keep his emotions in check when he comes up against the side that has a special place in his heart.

"It will be very difficult," he said. "I had three fantastic years there. The players are very close to me. I've got a lot of friends at the club. 

"I had a great relationship with the supporters. Off course it's going to be difficult for me because that's the way it is.

"I have to be a professional. I have to say my hellos and wave. The 90 minutes, it's going to be no quarter asked and no quarter given.

"You get through the game and then say farewell, give hugs here and there and then you get on with your life. It will not be an easy thing."

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