Kaizer Chiefs were reportedly convinced to go for French coach Fernando Da Cruz because of two outstanding qualities.

Chiefs are reportedly close to firming up a deal with Da Cruz to take over as their new coach following the departure of co-coaches Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef last week.

The Glamour Boys have narrowed down to the former AS FAR Rabat coach, who was initially part of Nasreddine Nabi’s team when the Tunisian joined Chiefs in July 2024, before he left later that year to take up a role at the Moroccan Football Association.

Fernando Da Cruz is reportedley close to re-joining Kaizer Chiefs. Photo: Kaizer Chiefs

Da Cruz’s CV not convincing to many

Many in South Africa do not know much about Cruz while some are not convinced by his CV, having coached AS FAR for one season, 2022-23, when they won the Moroccan league while he also worked at Belgian side Mouscron, first as an assistant and then as head coach, and managed French side Lille B.

According to Soccer Beat’s Peter Du Toit, Chiefs were convinced by the 53-year-old’s winning record in Morocco as well as his tactical acumen.

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“What Chiefs have seen in this guy, he is not a salesman coach, he is a proper football coach,” Du Toit said on the channel.

Why did Chiefs settle on French coach?

“He is definitely a proper coach but then if you look on the management side, he has coached Royal Mouscron in Belgium which is a small club but he still had that job, two spells there, but his biggest thing is he won the league with Rabat.

Fernando Da Cruz is poised to take over as the new Kaizer Chiefs coach. Image: Imago

“I think the Moroccan league and South African league is pretty similar. Three big clubs [there] with a lot of pressure, so winning the league there is quite close to winning the league in South Africa.

“So, he got that on his CV. He can win a title. So those are the two big things. He won a title recently, so he knows how to win and is a proper coach,” he added.

Chiefs are yet to comment on the speculation linking Da Cruz to the job but as they prepare for their pre-season in Germany it looks like it will be the Frenchman leading them as they eye success in 2026-27.