Kudos to Kaizer Chiefs co-coaches Khalil Ben Youssef and Cedric Kaze for securing third spot with two games to spare, qualifying for next season’s CAF Confederation Cup in the process.
It’s also the first time since the 2019/20 campaign that Chiefs hit the 50-point mark, having failed to qualify for a mere top eight in the last two seasons, hence Ben Youssef and Kaze deserve plaudits.
Even so, for a ship of Chiefs’ calibre to be operated by two captains takes away that sense of responsibility. Amakhosi, whose last season’s Nedbank Cup remains their only trophy this decade, need one strong voice in the dugout next season, if they are to reclaim glory days.
As much as they’ve stabilised the team to a certain degree this season, Khalil and Kaze, who were initially employed as previous coach Nasreddine Nabi’s assistants, have in crucial moments lacked proactive mindset, a trait that shouldn’t be negotiable for a Chiefs coach.
Being content with winning the game 2-1 in their penultimate Confederation Cup against Egyptian side Al Masry in Polokwane in February, where scoring a third goal would have sealed their knockout phase qualification, is one example where Kaze and Ben Youssef showcased their limitation.
Chiefs went on to lose their last Group D fixture away to Zamalek the following weekend, missing out on the knockout phase qualification.
In October last year, Stellenbosch eliminated Chiefs from the Carling Knockout in the first round. Guess who missed the fifth spot-kick that would’ve sent Chiefs to the next round? Tashreeq Morris. A player who was on the pitch for less than 90 seconds.
Before missing that crucial penalty, Morris had never featured before this season, which begs the question: why did Ben Youssef and Kaze decide that the 31-year-old outcast was a suitable candidate to take the last penalty? That again, proved lack of forward thinking by the duo.
Another strange pattern that the incumbent Chiefs co-mentors have adopted this season is the constant chopping and changing of the match-day squad. This can’t be happening if Chiefs want to build momentum.
A player can disappear from the next three match-day squads off the back of a solid performance, while another would rock up from the wilderness to make the starting XI.
Nkosingiphile Ngcobo, Thabo Cele and Ashley du Preez are some of the players who’ve benefited from this weird habit, while players like Khanyisa Mayo, Asanele Velebayi and Luke Baartman, among others, may have felt hard-done-by at times. Morris is another player who surprisingly returned at the weekend and scored against Sekhukhune.
The contracts of Ben Youssef and Kaze expire at the end of the season, and Chiefs should find a progressive coach with a strong voice.
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