THE interim-ones Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef have received Muhsin Ertugral's backing to stay at Kaizer Chiefs next season.
Image: Itumeleng English Independent Media
Former Kaizer Chiefs coach Muhsin Ertuğral has backed current co-coaches Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef to stay at the club beyond the current season, saying they have improved the team in recent months.
Chiefs are third in the Betway Premiership standings and pushing for a top-three finish after missing out on domestic trophies, CAF honours, and falling behind in the title race.
Given that Chiefs have been in form in recent months, winning five games and drawing their most recent clash in the last six, they seem set for an impressive finish to the season, improving on the last two seasons’ 10th- and ninth-place finishes.
However, their future at the club is still uncertain – some feel they have done enough to earn full-time contracts, replacing former head coach Nasreddine Nabi. Meanwhile, others believe they must be replaced by someone with a proven winning record.
Exclusively speaking to Independent Media on Thursday afternoon, Ertuğral, a former Chiefs coach and strong ally of the club, believes it would be catastrophic for Chiefs not to continue with Kaze and Ben Youssef next season.
“From a sporting director’s perspective, I would continue with these coaches,” he said. “I think there’s been improvement. There’s been a lot of instability at Chiefs – players and coaches have come and gone.
“In the end, everyone can play the notes in a band, but the nuances are very important. Everyone can play football, and everyone can help the team achieve a certain level of success.
“If you want to maintain that level of success, you keep important elements together. If Chiefs strengthen where they think they lack, they’ll be fine.”
Ertuğral is not naive to think that everyone will share his sentiments about the duo, and that’s why he has advised the club hierarchy to put the needs of the team first.
“There’ll always be outside noise with Chiefs,” he said. “But I think momentum and stability will give the team more.
“In the end, you’ll bring another coach and expectations will be high for the team to win something. But can they do that and adapt to the situation? To overcome Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns could be difficult, and that person could struggle.”
Kaze and Ben Youssef can prove they are closing the gap on Sundowns and Pirates by beating their rivals before the end of the season, starting with the Soweto derby at FNB Stadium on Sunday afternoon (3pm kick-off).
Should they achieve that feat – or even fall short – Ertuğral has warned the duo against over-explaining themselves to critics, something they did during a four-game losing streak earlier this year.
“I think the two coaches know the pressure they are dealing with, but sometimes they explain too much to the public, and they shouldn’t,” the Turkey-born coach said. “They know what they are doing – too much explanation sometimes adds fuel to the fire.
“In my opinion, they’ve done what they needed to do. It’s not easy to overcome what happened in the last two seasons, which were disastrous. They have done well. What is a new coach going to bring?”