Kaizer Chiefs football manager Bobby Motaung has opened up about the future of the club’s co-coaches, Khalil Ben Youssef and Cedric Kaze, offering insight into the club’s long-term vision while stopping short of confirming whether the duo will be handed permanent roles.
The two coaches initially arrived at Naturena as part of Nasreddine Nabi’s technical team. However, when the Tunisian mentor departed earlier in the campaign, Chiefs opted for continuity rather than another overhaul, entrusting Ben Youssef and Kaze with guiding the team through the remainder of the season.
Fresh Start
What began as an interim solution has evolved into a promising chapter for Amakhosi. Since taking charge, the co-coaches have overseen a noticeable improvement in performances and results, helping Kaizer Chiefs re-emerge as genuine contenders in the Betway Premiership — a position the club has struggled to occupy consistently in recent years.
Their tenure has been defined by structure, improved squad management, and a renewed sense of belief within the team. While Chiefs’ Nedbank Cup defence ended in disappointment, the side remains firmly on course to achieve one of its key objectives this season: continental participation. The club now stands on the verge of securing progression in the CAF Confederation Cup, underlining the progress made under the current technical leadership.
Despite the encouraging trajectory, Motaung was careful not to make definitive promises regarding the coaches’ futures beyond the current campaign.
What was said
“We don’t know yet, I can’t say what happens in the future,” Motaung explained to reporters when asked whether Ben Youssef and Kaze would be retained permanently.
“But currently, there is a reason why we are where we are — it’s because of the consistency we kept and the management we have.
“In future, football is football; one never knows how the results are going. But with the vision we’ve got and the patience we’ve got, I think we have a great vision and plan to bring those glory days back.”
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His comments suggest that while the club remains impressed with the work done so far, any final decision will likely depend on how the season concludes and whether the current upward momentum can be sustained.
Motaung acknowledged that retaining the existing technical team following Nabi’s exit was a calculated decision — one he believes has already paid dividends. According to the Chiefs manager, stability within the coaching structure has been vital not only for immediate results but also for the long-term development of the squad, particularly a new generation of younger players emerging at the club.
“But if you look at the consistency of us keeping the technical staff and managing the squad as it is, it’s helping us a lot, even for the future,” he said.
“The generation that we have now, the young generation, they need to be given time and patience.
“But keeping the technical staff was more important for us because bringing in a new coach and new technical staff means you have to make changes. You can’t make changes every season — especially in the middle of the season — because it doesn’t give you consistency.
“I think the decision to be consistent and contain the current technical staff helped us a lot.”
Will they stay?
For now, Ben Youssef and Kaze continue to build their case on the pitch. With Chiefs competing strongly domestically and pushing toward continental success, the co-coaches have turned what was once a temporary assignment into a genuine audition for long-term leadership.
Whether that audition ultimately earns them permanent control remains undecided, but one thing is clear: stability, patience, and a renewed strategic vision have begun to steer Chiefs back toward competitiveness.