Kaizer Chiefs midfielder has dismissed claims that co-coaches Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef have lost the dressing room at the club following a string of poor results.
Amakhosi have dominated the headlines for all the wrong reasons lately, slumping into a disastrous run of form that has seen them go four matches without a single victory.
Chiefs suffered four successive defeats across all competitions—a spiral that prompted disgruntled supporters to march to the Kaizer Chiefs Village in Naturena this past weekend. Their message was clear: they demand the immediate sacking of the co-coaches.
Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef have come under fire following a string of unconvincing results that look set to condemn the club to another trophyless season. In their last four outings, Chiefs surrendered three league matches to Stellenbosch FC, Orlando Pirates, and Richards Bay FC, while a demoralising defeat against Zamalek SC saw them crash out of the CAF Confederation Cup group stages.
The coaching duo has effectively lost the backing of the fans, who continue to question their tactical credentials. The pair took over the reins on an interim basis following the dismissal of Nasreddine Nabi in September 2025.
Initially, Ben Youssef and Kaze arrived at Naturena at the start of the 2024/25 season to serve as assistants to the Tunisian mentor. However, they were retained to lead the Soweto giants after the highly-rated Nabi parted ways with the club.
MABOE WEIGHS IN ON ‘LOST DRESSING ROOM’ TALK AT NATURENA
In recent weeks, rumours have intensified on social media, suggesting that co-coaches Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef have lost the dressing room and the squad’s buy-in. However, Amakhosi midfielder Maboe has moved to dispel these claims, asserting that the technical duo remains the undisputed leaders of the team as they work toward a common goal.
The veteran midfielder was adamant that the bond between the players and the bench remains intact despite the club’s recent slump in results.
“There’s no such thing [as a lost dressing room]. These are our coaches, and these are our leaders,” Maboe stated when questioned about the technical team’s standing on Thursday in Naturena.
“As players, we share the same goal: helping the team secure maximum points and winning every game. It’s just unfortunate that the results of the past three weeks have overshadowed the work we’ve been doing for the last four months. This is the situation we are faced with right now, but we are confident that we will turn the corner.”
RELATED STORY: Pitso Mosimane weighs in on Sibusiso Vilakazi’s TS Galaxy exit