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Kaze and Ben Youssef GFXGOAL
Sthembiso Nkabinde

Would Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef deliver success should Kaizer Chiefs put their faith in Nasreddine Nabi’s former assistants?

The relationship between Kaizer Chiefs and their head coach, Nasreddine Nabi, appears to be over, although the club has yet to make this official. The Tunisian coach is on the verge of mutually parting ways with Amakhosi following a lack of trust between the two parties and licensing issues.

As things stand, Nabi’s trusted assistants, Kaze and Ben Youssef, are holding the fort as the club plots a way forward - with or without the pair.

Kaze and Ben Youssef did a solid job at the beginning of the season when they were required to stand in for Nabi, who had rushed back to Tunisia after an accident involving his wife.   

The club has not hesitated to once again entrust the pair with the responsibility of leading the team as they prepare to part with Nabi. 

The duo has successfully negotiated passage to the next round of the CAF Confederation Cup after edging Angola’s Kabuscorp on penalties in the first preliminary round.

Here, GOAL looks at whether the two have what it takes to ensure Chiefs meet their expectations this season, having been part of the bigger plan under Nabi. 

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  • Nasreddine Nabi and Cedric Kaze, Kaizer ChiefsBackpage

    Loyalty to Nabi or Chiefs? 

    Before diving into the pair’s capacity to lead Chiefs in the right direction this season, one can’t help but wonder if they will be as motivated without their leader, Nabi.

    And if so, will that not feel like betrayal to the man who brought them to Naturena? Well, Kaze, who was the last to join Nabi’s technical team, doesn’t think so.

    “I have known coach Nabi for a couple of years, and have worked with him,” said Kaze when quizzed on the same last week. 

    “We both know the situation of a coaching job. Today he’s not here, but I am pretty sure that he’s proud that we are continuing where he left off and bringing the club where it belongs.”  

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  • Khalil Ben Youssef and Nasreddine Nabi, Kaizer ChiefsBackpage

    Continuity: They know the project

    Having arrived with the Tunisian, Kaze and Ben Youssef will know the project more than anyone else, and are the best candidates to continue leading the team.

    Considering that they were also involved in the club’s pre-season tour of the Netherlands, which was the foundation for a strong start to the campaign, puts Kaze and Ben Youssef at an advantage.  

    The pair were also part of the brains trust responsible, in one way or the other, for the recruitment of no less than 11 new players in the just concluded transfer window.

  • Cedric Kaze, Kaizer ChiefsBackpage

    Impressive record 

    As aforementioned, the pair were responsible for Chiefs’ strong start to the season, which saw them win four of their first five Premier Soccer League matches, with one ending in a draw.

    Nabi then returned to oversee just one more win over Golden Arrows, a draw against Mamelodi Sundowns and the heavy defeat to Sekhukhune United.

    Kaze and Ben Youssef have only lost one match, the 1-0 defeat in Angola against Kabuscorp in the Confederations Cup, but were able to overturn that and win the tie to progress to the next round.  

    Their impressive record could convince the Chiefs hierarchy to trust the pair for the remainder of the season.

  • Kaizer Chiefs gfx GOAL

    Can they prove their doubters wrong? 

    While the duo hold an impressive record as Chiefs’ co-coaches, some fans are still not convinced that they are ready to lead a club of Chiefs’ calibre on a long-term basis.

    This, as many believe, the duo don’t quite have the capacity, reputation or profile to lead such a big club, but this will be a challenge they would be desperate to overcome.

    With names like Pitso Mosimane, Benni McCarthy, and even Jose Riveiro lurking, Kaze and Ben Youssef will do very well to earn the trust of the Chiefs bosses and occupy the hot seat permanently.     

  • Zitha Kwinika, Kaizer ChiefsBackpage

    Win some silverware 

    Despite having a horrible campaign in the league, winning the Nedbank Cup bought Nabi some more time in the Chiefs' hot seat.

    Although the coach now looks on his way out, one lesson Kaze and Ben Youssef will have taken is that winning trophies, more often than not, keeps one in the job longer.

    Should the Chiefs board decide to retain their services as co-coaches, the pair will need to deliver silverware almost immediately, as they have no room for error.

    The next opportunity for silverware is the Carling Knockout, which kicks off next month, where Chiefs face familiar foes Stellenbosch FC.    

  • Kaizer Chiefs, September 2025Backpage

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