Durban City FC have reportedly sacked head coach Khalil Ben Youssef just three months after he was tasked with leading the club's 2026/27 campaign.
The Tunisian strategist, who arrived in KwaZulu-Natal with high expectations following his stint at Naturena, reportedly oversaw Saturday morning's training session before being delivered the news of his dismissal.
The club hierarchy has also moved to shake up the technical team, apparently informing several members of the support staff that their services are no longer required alongside the departing head coach.
Ben Youssef's arrival in June was seen as a significant appointment for the KZN outfit as they looked to establish themselves in the Betway Premiership.
However, the club’s leadership has displayed a lack of patience following a start to the domestic season that failed to generate momentum.
The move marks a swift and ruthless end to a project that was barely a quarter of the way through the league schedule, highlighting the intense pressure currently felt by coaches across the South African top flight with Ben Youssef joining the other five coaches relieved of their duties with barely a quarter of the season gone
The decision to pull the trigger comes at a peculiar time given the club’s recent exploits on the continent. While domestic form has been a cause for concern, Ben Youssef had successfully guided Durban City through the preliminary hurdles of the CAF Confederation Cup.
The primary catalyst for the change in the dugout appears to be the club's underwhelming return in the Betway Premiership.
Under Ben Youssef’s guidance, City managed to collect only seven points from their opening seven league fixtures. The statistics paint a picture of a team struggling for consistency; the club recorded just one victory, four draws, and two defeats during his short reign.
His final contribution at the helm was a frustrating 1-1 draw against newly promoted Milford FC last Sunday, a result that proved to be the final straw for the board.
Before his ill-fated move to Durban, Ben Youssef was a prominent figure in the Kaizer Chiefs coaching setup. During his time with the Soweto giants, he initially served as an assistant before being elevated to share head coaching responsibilities with Cedric Kaze.
His departure from City follows a growing trend of former Chiefs technical members finding it difficult to replicate their pedigree at other domestic clubs, as the pressure for immediate results continues to dominate the landscape of South African football management.
With the club currently sitting in a mid-table position and lacking the clinical edge required to climb the standings, the Durban City hierarchy felt a change was necessary to salvage their season ambitions.
The search for a replacement will now begin in earnest as the club looks for a manager capable of turning draws into wins and maintaining the momentum in CAF competition.