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Alexander grateful to Baxter for Chiefs move, but has moved on
"He has played a big role in my career. But this is football, you know. Players come and go, and coaches come and go," says Alexander.
Cole Alexander of Kaizer Chiefs says he will always be grateful to Stuart Baxter (Photo: by Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images)
Cole Alexander has a long relationship with Stuart Baxter who brought him along when he returned to Kaizer Chiefs last season.
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The two started working together at SuperSport United. When Alexander left SuperSport, Chiefs were reported to be interested in him.
But he chose to follow Baxter who had joined Indian side Odisha FC at the time.
Baxter’s time at Odisha was not great. He was fired on the spot after making careless statements about rape. It is a sensitive topic in the country with a high number of cases of sexual assault.
Alexander stayed behind but when Baxter reunited with Chiefs at the start of last season, he soon joined him.
While some Chiefs fans may not have been impressed with him – and it was probably to do with him being Baxter’s player than anything else – he soon won some of them over.
“I will always admire… I call him the Sensei. I will always admire Stuart Baxter for what he has done for me in my career and for bringing me here (to Chiefs),” said Alexander this week.
“He has played a big role in my career. But this is football, you know. Players come and go, and coaches come and go.”
Alexander is now playing under a new coach at Chiefs with Arthur Zwane having been elevated to the position following Baxter’s firing.
“I am a Christian first then a footballer, I have to honour whoever is in charge. I must honour my contract, those in charge and those that are in authority.
“That is it, no matter who comes to lead you, you honour the coach and respect his authority. You go to work with the same enthusiasm. That is just how I see it.”
At 33, Alexander is now one of the senior players at Amakhosi. He says he is helping the youngsters wherever he can by giving them advice.
“The advice I give to them is the same that I always give to myself: ‘just give your best, if you have that way of living and working then you will not have regrets.’” said Alexander.
