Kaizer Chiefs' Cedric Kaze & Khalil Ben Youssef mistake pointed out after crashing out of Nedbank Cup & CAF CC competitions: 'One will blame the other'

Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef started their Kaizer Chiefs careers as assistants to Nasreddine Nabi, who had been given the mandate to coach the team at the beginning of the 2024/25 season.

The trio delivered the Nedbank Cup in their debut, in the process ending the club's decade-long drought.

But Nabi was fired just six games into the ongoing Premier Soccer League campaign, with Kaze and Ben Youssef getting the job, at least until the end of the season.

Under their reign, Chiefs were knocked out of the Carling Knockout in the first hurdle, the same as in the Nedbank Cup.

But they did well to reach the CAF Confederation Cup group stage, only to narrowly miss making the quarter-finals. 

In the Premier Soccer League, they are in fourth position with 30 points, eight less than leaders Orlando Pirates, who have played two games more.

Former Chiefs defender Lifa Gqosha opines, “Judging by their performance before, it seemed a good decision based on the results,” speaking to Sowetan Live.

“I think now the mistake is that there’s no one accountable between the two. So, it becomes a problem because one will blame the other, and both are coming with different philosophies. Whose philosophy is working during the match?

“They should have just given full responsibility to one, so he can account for it. If you put two people and say they are co-coaches and you give the two of them accountability, there are situations where they will differ. They are human beings. I think the management should have been bold and made a decision. For me, it was a wrong decision," he added.

Gqosha doesn't see Amakhosi winning the PSL despite their strong run, but insists they will make the top eight.

“I don’t see them taking the league, but we will finish within the top eight bracket, which will be a big improvement from the previous season,” he explained.

“They cannot now chop and change, looking for a coach. 

"But by now, they should have started with the process of looking for an experienced coach for next season," Gqosha concluded.