Stuart Baxter leaves as Kaizer Chiefs coach after title win

Stuart Baxter led Chiefs to the title

Much-travelled Scottish coach Stuart Baxter has parted company with Kaizer Chiefs despite the South African side retaining their league title.

The 61-year-old has blamed "tensions" with club management for ending his three-year spell there.

Baxter has been linked with Ankara-based Genclerbirligi and admitted he had been contacted by a Turkish club.

"It has been a wonderful three-year journey," Baxter said at a news conference.

Former South Africa coach Baxter, born in Wolverhampton but who describes himself as a Scot, led the Chiefs to the league and cup double in his first season and added another championship title in 2014-15.

"When [Kaizer Chiefs football manager] Bobby Motaung and I met in London three years ago to discuss joining Chiefs, the critics were already sharpening their knives with some feeling that I did not do well with Bafana Bafana," recalled the coach who held talks with Celtic about a director of football role in 2010.

"However, the chairman and Bobby showed courage and appointed me as the club's coach at the time.

Stuart Baxter led Kaizer Chiefs to two league titles in South Africa

"Hopefully, after having won two league titles and two cup trophies, a few perceptions about me have since changed.

"Tensions drive football clubs to be successful. However, it costs a lot of energy and, when you can't do that anymore, it's time to stand down. We have agreed that this is the best solution."

A former midfielder, Baxter played for Preston North End, Morecambe, Dundee United, Stockport County, South Melbourne, Helsingborgs, San Diego Sockers and Orebro.

He went on to manage Orebro in Sweden, where also has spells with Halmstads and AIK. He also coached Skarp and Lyn in Norway, Vitoria Setubal in Portugal and Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Vissel Kobe in Japan.

Baxter also had spells in charge of Finland and England Under-19s.

"There is a lot of speculation about the way forward," he added. "I travelled to Turkey last week to talk with a club.

"However, the bottom line is that I don't have anything else at the moment."