‘Why Nurkovic is finding it difficult to give his best for Kaizer Chiefs’ – Baxter

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Stuart Baxter has opened up about Samir Nurkovic’s struggles since the British tactician took charge of the team in June this year.

The Serbian marksman has played four competitive matches under Baxter without scoring, including the Caf Champions League final clash against Egypt’s Al Ahly.

Baxter insisted that he is still using Nurkovic to his strengths, but the 68-year-old mentor did admit that there are slight tweaks to the striker’s playing style.

“There’s honestly nothing wrong with his appetite, he is desperate to do well for us. I think with injuries, being away, and having a period where he’s not scored,” Baxter told the club’s media department. 

“All those things are frustrating him and he is finding it difficult to give his best. We have tweaked his position a little bit to find his angle, so he’s not playing back to goal as much – he has looked very good in training.

“We were tempted to continue him [against TS Galaxy on Sunday], but I just thought Keagan [Dolly]’s mobility may pick the lock a little bit better than Samir’s strength.”

Nurkovic cut a frustrated figure during Chiefs’ opening PSL match of the new season against Galaxy and he was the first Amakhosi player to be substituted, as the encounter went on to end in a 0-0 draw at Mbombela Stadium.

Baxter remains hopeful that the 29-year-old marksman will soon rediscover his old form which saw him inspire Chiefs to a second-place finish in the PSL during the 2019/20 season.

“But as far as he is concerned it is just a matter of ‘keep going until it cracks’. All strikers go through patches where they are not at their best,” he continued. 

“It’s a question of doing everything else while that’s the situation, defending, competing, and link-up play as best as you can. Sometimes it’s the ketchup bottle.

“You hit it and nothing comes out and then all of sudden it’s all over your plate.

“That’s what I am waiting for with Samir, we will try to be patient for as long as we can. But we obviously have a squad in which we need to select the player we think can win the game.”

Chiefs will take on Baroka FC on Wednesday in their second PSL match of the current season.