Former Kaizer Chiefs mentor Muhsin Ertugral has hit out at his predecessors, Stuart Baxter and Ernst Middendorp, for attributing the club’s struggles to management interference.
The Glamour Boys have taken the spotlight in the past few weeks following their embarrassing run of form, which saw them go four matches without a victory.
Chiefs have slumped to four successive defeats across all competitions, following losses to Stellenbosch FC, arch-rivals Orlando Pirates, and Richards Bay FC in the Betway Premiership. The Soweto giants also suffered a disappointing loss to Egyptian giants Zamalek SC, crashing out of the CAF Confederation Cup group stages.
As a result of the poor run of form, the club’s supporters marched to the Naturena Village to demand the firing of co-coaches Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef.
With Chiefs on everyone’s lips, ex-coaches Baxter and Middendorp weighed in on the issues at the club, pointing fingers at management. Baxter made explosive allegations in an interview with FARPost, revealing that during his second tenure at Chiefs, management interfered in his work, including team selection and player recruitment. The English-born tactician had his first stint with Chiefs between 2012 and 2015 before returning for the second spell between 2021 and 2022.
On the other hand, Middendorp also highlighted the key factors that make a coach successful at Chiefs. The former Durban City FC technical director took the reins at the Naturena-based side in the early 2000s and had another stint during the 2019/20 season.
WHAT ERTUGRAL SAID ABOUT BAXTER AND MIDDENDORP’S REMARKS
“Today I am writing not as someone who once served Kaizer Chiefs, but as someone who carries deep respect for what this club represents. It’s a club that gave many of us the opportunity and the platform to grow in our profession. That is why I must say I am disappointed. Not because the difficult truth should never be spoken. I think sometimes it has to be. For me, timing also shows character,” Ertugral said on his Facebook page.
“Kaizer Chiefs is going through a very difficult period. Confidence is very fragile at the moment; the results are painful, and the frustration of supporters is boiling over. When a club is hurting like this, when emotions are running high, I struggle to understand the value of former coaches years later in pointing fingers.”
He added: “Kaizer Chiefs is not just a football team. For millions, it represents memories, pride, and identity. There are real challenges is not the noise outside. The real challenge is the structure inside.
“What is the club’s identity? Who carries the technical responsibility and accountability? For me, a key pillar is the recruitment aligned with a clear playing model.
“And the academy is connected to the first team? Great clubs are not monsters. They are mirrors!!! They reflect clarity, or the confusion from people they are responsible for guiding the process.”
‘KAIZER CHIEFS DOESN’T NEED NOISE’: MUHSIN ERTUGRAL
“I think, and that’s my own opinion, when a club is already hurt, former coaches should be careful not to make themselves the story. The club must remain the story. Kaizer Chiefs does not need more noise. It needs structure, needs humility, and needs togetherness.
“Supporters have always played an important role, especially, I know that from the chairman, how much he cares. The club has always taken strength from loyalty and passion from its fans. Maybe now more than ever, it needs supporters to stand behind the badge, even when the road is very difficult. I don’t think you can rebuild through anger, but through unity, patience, and belief, and obviously with the right criticism.”
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