Kaze fires shot at ‘job-hunting’ coaches flirting with Chiefs

Kaizer Chiefs co-coach Cedric Kaze has come out swinging against his detractors, labelling the criticism aimed at the club’s technical bench as “disrespectful” and predicting a season-ending reality check for his doubters.

The Burundian tactician was speaking in the wake of a 1-0 win over Golden Arrows at FNB Stadium on Tuesday. The result—Amakhosi’s first fixture following the 2025 AFCON hiatus—successfully hoisted the Soweto giants to third place in the Betway Premiership standings after 14 matches.

The leadership of Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef has remained under the microscope since they took charge following the departure of Nasreddine Nabi. While some sceptics have questioned if the duo could thrive without their former superior, their track record suggests a deep-seated contribution to the club’s recent revival.

Kaze and Ben Youssef were instrumental as Nabi’s lieutenants when Chiefs famously shattered their 10-year trophy drought by defeating Orlando Pirates in the 2025 Nedbank Cup final. This partnership originally flourished at Tanzania’s Young Africans before the trio reunited at Naturena in July 2024.

Chiefs Coach Pushing Back Against the Narrative

Despite leading the club into the CAF Confederation Cup group stages and maintaining a title charge, Kaze feels the “outside noise” is disconnected from the reality inside the camp.

“I don’t feel that I am not trusted. In fact, I feel very supported within the team—the management, the players, and all the colleagues,” Kaze told the media. “But sometimes, I feel like it’s the outside people who try to create things.”

Kaze’s frustration stems from a growing list of coaches who have gone on record to suggest they are better suited for the role at Naturena. Chief among them is former Orlando Pirates head coach and Egypt national team assistant Roger De Sa, who has previously hinted that he could take the club to greater heights given his extensive continental experience.

Even more vocal has been Dylan Kerr, the former Marumo Gallants, Moroka Swallows, and TTM tactician. Kerr recently made headlines with a bold declaration to SoccerBeat, stating he would “swim across the Mediterranean Sea” to get the job and was “100% sure” he could win the league title with the current Chiefs squad.

“There is a lack of respect when people talk about a position when there is a coach already,” he said. “Some coaches would even say, ‘I will make them champions,’ but when you look at the history of that coach, he has never done that before. Sometimes journalists talk about ‘those two co-coaches’… they don’t even know their names.”

The Final Word From Chiefs’ Kaze

Firmly dismissing claims that the technical team is out of its depth, Kaze leaned on the team’s current trajectory as evidence of their competence. He ended the briefing with a bold promise to those who have written off his tenure.

“We know what we are doing, and we are qualified. I am giving you until the end of the season. We will meet, and I am pretty sure everyone will apologise.”