With Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef out, rumours are flying that Fernando da Cruz is the frontrunner for the Kaizer Chiefs head coach vacancy. Photo: AFP
Image: AFP
COMMENT
“Make it make sense.”
That was my immediate afterthought upon learning that Fernando da Cruz has been heavily linked with Kaizer Chiefs’ vacant senior team head coach position.
Chiefs recently parted ways with Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef following the expiry of their contracts after serving as the interim co-coaches of the first team, having replaced former master Nasreddine Nabi.
Since their departures, rumours have been rife that Da Cruz is the leading candidate to fully replace Nabi next season. This is a shocking discovery given the fact that the Frenchman was firmly in Nabi’s circle when the Tunisian took over the reins two seasons ago.
Da Cruz was initially set to be Nabi’s first assistant at Chiefs, with Khalil Ben Youssef as the second right-hand man. He even arrived early in the country to lay the groundwork, starting at the Taung Village before leaving with the team for pre-season in Turkey.
However, after returning to the country with Nabi, who officially joined them in Europe, Da Cruz resigned to take up a post with the Moroccan FA. Nabi retained Ben Youssef as his first assistant, while luring Kaze to the club as his second deputy.
The trio — Nabi, Kaze, Ben Youssef — ended a 10-year trophy drought in their first season by winning the Nedbank Cup, though they disappointingly finished ninth in the Betway Premiership. The second season, which Kaze and Ben Youssef finished as co-coaches after replacing Nabi, showed improvement with a third-place finish.
Despite that third-place finish, the co-coaches were not retained — a surprise given their belief that they had done enough to lay a solid foundation for a stronger, competitive team next season.
Chiefs now appear to be leaning back toward the Nabi-linked coaching structure, with reports suggesting contact has been made with Da Cruz. From an outside perspective, the move is difficult to understand.
If Da Cruz was previously part of Nabi’s technical circle, it suggests a shared football philosophy and tactical vision. That raises an important question: what would he bring that is fundamentally different or transformative?
The fact that Da Cruz does not have a sustained track record of success in African football, despite winning the Botola Pro League with AS FAR as the technical director before being sacked after an early CAF Confederation Cup exit, does not help his cause either.
Amakhosi desperately need someone who will hit the ground running and understand that his philosophy must align with the vision, identity, and direction of the club — and not the other way around.
The club have the resources to attract top talent locally and abroad. However, success depends on appointing a leader capable of instilling a clear identity and understanding the responsibility that comes with wearing the famous gold and black jersey.
The recent dominance of rivals Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns in South African and African football puts the incoming coach in a very pressurised situation next season. He must ensure his team competes for all trophies on offer to bring back the glory days.
Over the years, Chiefs emerged as a leading team in the integration of youngsters into the senior squad, as seen with the promotions of Mduduzi Shabalala, Mfundo Vilakazi, Aden McCarthy, and Wandile Duba.
However, except for McCarthy, these talented players blew hot and cold last season, while their notable counterpart, Relebohile Mofokeng, continued to flourish at Pirates. This decline in the contribution of youngsters at Chiefs was not entirely their fault, but largely due to coaches being focused primarily on winning rather than consistent development.
The culture and way of South African football sometimes presents a complex situation to a foreign coach — the rare exception being Jose Riveiro. So, what assertions are there that Da Cruz will hit the ground running, especially if he brings in his own backroom staff?
The rumours linking Da Cruz with Chiefs are confusing. They do not paint a clear, forward-looking structure of where the team want to go; instead, they seem to be circulating around the same, stagnated regime.