Cedric Kaze has suggested that finishing in the top three would make him and Khalil Ben Youssef, his co-coach at Kaizer Chiefs, the best SA club coaches of the decade.
Taking a snide swipe at Ernst Middendorp, whose side finished second in the league in the 2019/20 season, Kaze told a presser at Naturena yesterday: “If this team finishes in the top three at the end of the season, I can even leave and I’d say that I’ve accomplished what no one has accomplished in the last 10 years.
“[Middendorp] finished second with 23 goals from set pieces with a lot of long balls. If we [myself and Kaze] achieve the top three at the end of the season, we will leave and say that we did an incredible job.”
Kaze and Ben Youssef are under immense pressure given the team’s recent poor run of form, having lost four of their last five games in all competitions. Even so, Kaze sees no need to panic, suggesting there are people who are conspiring against them to be sacked.
“This team has been in constant progression since the beginning of the season...” — Cedric Kaze
“This team has been in constant progression since the beginning of the season, so are you going to start panicking or are you going to start running because of one month of bad performances? While you have had an incredible seven months? No! There are still 12 games to play and a lot of things to play for,” Kaze emphasised.
“There are people with different agendas, saying, ‘Oh, these coaches don’t deserve to be there; the ship is too big for the captain that is leading it’. Today we are sixth on the log and the one who’s third is three points ahead of us and we have two games in hand... I am not saying we’re going to win both of those games, but we’re going to try by all means.”
Chiefs will be eager to avoid losing four successive league games for the first time ever when they host Durban City at FNB Stadium on Sunday (3.30pm).
Fixtures (all at 3.30pm unless stated)
Tonight: Stellenbosch v Galaxy, Danie Craven (7.30pm).
Tomorrow: Magesi v Chippa, Seshego; Pirates v Siwelele, Orlando; Marumo v Arrows, Lucas Moripe; AmaZulu v Bay, Moses Mabhida (6pm); Sekhukhune v Polokwane, Peter Mokaba (6pm).
Sunday: Chiefs v Durban, FNB.
Sowetan
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