Chiefs last lifted silverware 16 months ago at Moses Mabhida Stadium when they won the Nedbank Cup which they then handed over to Pirates four months ago so Baxter feels they need this one more to set the tone for a fine season.
“I think that it is probably true (that it is psychologically more important for Chiefs to win the MTN8) and I say so without wanting to bring any more pressure on the players,” says Baxter.
“I mean when you choose to play at a club like Kaizer Chiefs you know that the expectation is always that you must win something. If you play at Manchester United and don’t win then you will have to take the stick that will come.
“If you are Arsene Wenger and you don’t win trophies for eight years then you take the stick that will come. Now what you will do along the line is say do I sell my soul to the devil and do we just make sure we win something no matter how or you don’t.
“We play the way we play with the target of winning trophies. Does that mean this one is important, I say yes it does because this is a direct opportunity to win something and the question is correct because it does mean that they have to be a bit more steely and say right, this is an important one and not say it is not so important just because we cannot take the pressure.
“They can do it and they know it is important and if they don’t then they shouldn’t be playing for a top team like Chiefs,” says Baxter.
While other coaches always throw banter at their opponents ahead of big games the Englishman says this game has taught him not to avoid belittling his opponents.
Baxter has been cautious in his choice of words choosing to be diplomatic ahead of this Final.
“I am far too old to get caught up in that arrogance before games because as a younger player and coach I was caught with my pants down so many times so you have no chance of getting it from me and I hope you don’t get it from any of our players either. That moment in pleasure when you think you are the man when giving that big statement it’s got a very bad habit of coming back to hurt you and people remember and you look pretty stupid.
“The only thing that we can promise before we go into any game is that we will go in and give 150%. We will prepare as meticulously as possible and we will go in there with a good feeling and we will get the foot on the floor and go.
“Now, if that leads to a victory I am not going to start being arrogant and say yes off course they have no chance blah, blah, blah. What it is, is that we can control that but I cannot control what other people do, what the referee does, what the crowd says and how the pitch is like, I can’t.
“So, therefore those sorts of comments I will leave them to other people and if they want to get caught with their pants down then they are welcome. I have been caught too many times,” Baxter adds.