Former Kaizer Chiefs striker Mike Rapatsa says the club’s current co-coaches, Khalil Ben Youssef and Cedric Kaze, should be allowed to finish the season, but offers the Soweto giants advice on who to bring in next.
Amakhosi were recently knocked out of the CAF Confederation Cup in the group stages after a 2-1 away defeat to Zamalek SC in their final fixture. Chiefs entered the match as group leaders and needed only a point to secure their place in the knockout rounds, but the loss—combined with results elsewhere—saw them dramatically eliminated.
The exit has divided opinions between the Chiefs faithful, with some of the view that it is a failure for Kaze and Ben Youssef, who now only have the Betway Premiership to play for in the 2025/26 season.
Chiefs are fourth on the log standings, eight points behind rivals Orlando Pirates, who have played one more match.
FORMER KAIZER CHIEFS STRIKER RAPATSA SAYS THE CLUB NEEDS A HIGH-PROFILE COACH
Rapatsa insists there is no need to dismantle the current technical team mid-season, but argues that Chiefs must eventually appoint a high-profile coach to take them forward.
“I believe that they [Chiefs] must just finish [the season], the league is about to finish,” Rapatsa told FARPost.
“They lost all the trophies to play for; there is absolutely nothing to play for now. Even if they do get a coach, let them get a coach with a high profile, a coach who knows his business, who can take on a Kaizer Chiefs project that needs to be worked on.
“But it also depends on the management. What kind of vision do they have, because if they have a good vision, they will hire a coach who shares the same vision as them. But now firing the coaches will not help in anything.”
WHY MIKE RAPATSA BELIEVES THERE HAS NOT BEEN PROGRESS AT HIS EX-CLUB
Rapatsa says winning the Nedbank Cup last season has also brought in unrealistic expectations from the Soweto giants’ fans.
“10 years of not being able to win any trophy has been broken by [Nasreddine] Nabi, but that doesn’t mean Kaizer Chiefs have arrived,” he added. “They haven’t arrived; in fact, they are stagnant. If you look at what the technical team is doing. They don’t look like people who know what they are doing. Every week, we are exposed to a different team.
“Players who deserve to be in the starting line-up are on the bench. How can they play George Matlou in a key Confederation Cup match? A cup that matters the most. Matlou, who has not been playing in the league or cup games. As unfit as he is, they decide to play him where it matters most against Zamalek, away in Egypt. I don’t know how people look at this, but I think the technical team is confused.”
RELATED STORY: Neil Tovey reacts to Kaizer Chiefs’ exits from three cups