Stellenbosch FC mentor Gavin Hunt has tipped his hat to the Kaizer Chiefs technical team, insisting that the co-coaching duo of Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef deserve massive plaudits for the club’s current resurgence.
Chiefs have enjoyed a good run in the Betway Premiership and are clearly in contention for the title, sitting two points behind leaders Mamelodi Sundowns at the halfway stage of the 2025/26 season.
They also sit third in the CAF Confederation Cup with seven points and are still within a chance to secure a spot in the knockout stages.
Speaking ahead of the Nedbank Cup Last 32 match, where Stellenbosch will host Chiefs at the Cape Town Stadium on Wednesday evening, Hunt said Kaze and Ben Youssef have done a great job since taking over from Nasreddine Nabi. Chiefs also come into the match on a seven-match unbeaten streak.
WHY GAVIN HUNT BELIEVES KAIZER CHIEFS CO-COACHES DESERVED CREDIT
“They are much more settled as a team, and obviously they are on a better run than us,” said Hunt. “They have won quite a few games now, and they haven’t conceded many games, which is testimony to the coaching staff, the players and everybody.
“Obviously, they lost the coach in the early season, and these new coaches have stepped in and done a really good job, in my opinion. You got to give them credit, that’s for sure.”
WHERE AMAKHOSI HAS AN ADVANTAGE OVER STELLENBOSCH AHEAD OF NEDBANK CUP CLASH
The former Amakhosi mentor also pointed out areas where he feels Chiefs are better than them coming into the match.
“I think if you look at their players, they are much more settled than we are. I mean, we have a lot of new players who have come in,” he said.
“You don’t normally do a lot of activity in the middle window, don’t you? It’s always difficult. But we needed to have a few players coming in certain areas, and it certainly will help us in the long term, I believe.
“These types of games are good for us, especially when the league comes around, because at the end of the day, we need to improve our League position, that’s for sure.”
RELATED STORY: Kaizer Chiefs coach flags Hunt’s direct shift at Stellenbosch