Sacked Kaizer Chiefs coach lifts lid on ‘unrealistic’ target at Naturena

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Sacked Kaizer Chiefs coach lifts lid on ‘unrealistic’ target at Naturena
Khalil Ben Youssef and Cedric Kaze, Kaizer Chiefs

Former Kaizer Chiefs coach Cedric Kaze has opened up on the lofty target the club set for them in the just-concluded season.

Kaze, and co-coach Khalil Ben Youssef, were released at the end of the season with the club opting against exercising their one-year contract extension.

It was a surprise decision to some fans and observers as the coaching duo had led Chiefs to their best league finish in six years, having finished third and qualified for the CAF Confederation Cup.

Kaze reveals Chiefs’ ‘illogical’ target

However, Kaze says Chiefs wanted Champions League football, which comes with finishing in the top two, but he feels this was an unrealistic target for a team that had finished outside the top eight in the previous two seasons.

“They did mention that they wanted a Champions League spot which if you take in the history of the club, for the last five years, I feel it is not a logical target,” Kaze told MSW 947.

“Last two years we finished out of the top eight. It has been six years we haven’t been to CAF. We went there this season after winning the Nedbank Cup and that is why we said that we leave with the mind that says we did what we could with the resources that we had and probably they want to go another way and you cannot blame them for that.”

Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef left Kaizer Chiefs.
Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef left Kaizer Chiefs. Photo: Kaizer Chiefs

Tactician on how he improved Amakhosi

Kaze believes their time as co-coaches was a major success, pointing to the increased points tally from 32 in 2024-25 to 54 in 2025-26, plus other statistics and feels they were onto something had they been given the chance.

“But I truly believe how we played [and] other statistics of the team were the most improved in the last few years. For example, we conceded 19 goals in the season and it has not happened in 10 years,” he added.

Ex-Kaizer Chiefs coach Cedric Kaze.
Ex-Kaizer Chiefs coach Cedric Kaze. Image: Kaizer Chiefs

“But I am glad they gave us an opportunity to do what we love and glad that we are leaving the team in a better place than where we found it.”

Kaze and Ben Youssef were elevated from Nasreddine Nabi’s assistants to co-coaches until the end of the season when their boss left last September.

<!-- Author Start -->Joel Oliver<!-- Author End -->

Joel Oliver

Author

Joel Oliver is a seasoned multimedia sports journalist with a rich background in covering diverse football stories and events in South Africa and beyond.
His extensive coverage spans subjects touching on the PSL, with a focus on the Big Three (Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs & Mamelodi Sundowns), Bafana Bafana and Banyana Banyana.

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