A third-place finish brings some pride back to Naturena, but Cedric Kaze knows Kaizer Chiefs must fight for silverware next season.
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Kaizer Chiefs co-coach Cedric Kaze says the club has laid a solid foundation for next season, with the final decision on their future set to be made by management after season-end assessments.
Amakhosi concluded their Betway Premiership campaign in third place — a significant improvement from last season’s ninth-place finish, where they missed out on the top eight entirely.
The Soweto giants wrapped up their season with a 1-0 defeat to Chippa United at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday, but Kaze insists the bigger picture reflects progress since he and Khalil Ben Youssef took over the reins.
The pair were initially appointed as assistants to Nasreddine Nabi, but were later elevated to co-coaches after the club and Nabi mutually agreed to part ways. Their mandate was to steady the team and complete the campaign, a task that ultimately delivered a stronger league finish.
Kaze confirmed that a review meeting with the club’s hierarchy is imminent, where the technical report and recommendations for the future will be tabled.
“It’s up to the board next week; probably we will meet to assess the season as well as the coaches. Things we have to put on the table — we believe we pushed the team forward,” Kaze told the media after the final match.
“It’s going to be discussions between two parties, and I’m pretty sure you will get the information.
“The report we will submit at the end of the season to the club management will also be recommendations about what should be done because we know the expectations next season are going to be high and this club needs to play for trophies.”
Despite the clear improvement in league position and structure, Kaze admitted the campaign still fell short of what Kaizer Chiefs should demand.
“I’m not happy with the season; I’m sure we could have done better in some matches and winning trophies. But I’m confident about the future. We have set standards,” he said.
“We have brought back belief and pride to the team, and now is the time to look for those trophies.
“The youngsters played very well. I’m hopeful that the future is bright for the youngsters; it’s just unfortunate that we didn’t finish with a win in a tremendous run in the league. But I’m sure what we saw this season is just the beginning of better things and trophies in the future.”
With uncertainty still surrounding the technical team’s future, Chiefs now shift focus to a crucial off-season review that will determine whether Kaze and Youssef continue into next season.