Former Kaizer Chiefs striker Collins Mbesuma has recommended Khalil Ben Youssef and Cedric Kaze to the new coach, who is likely to take over at Naturena after the end of the 2025/26 season.
Ben Youssef and Kaze’s co-coaching arrangement is unlikely to be extended beyond the current season. Amakhosi have given the strongest hint that they will look for a new coach to lead them from next term.
This comes as the two coaches have struggled to improve Chiefs’ fortunes since taking over from Nasreddine Nabi in September 2025. Under their charge, the Soweto giants missed out on the Carling Knockout Cup, Nedbank Cup and the CAF Confederation Cup.
Prospects of the Soweto giants ending the season with a piece of silverware are very slim, but they stand a realistic chance of a Betway Premiership top-three finish. That would earn them the right to play continental football next season.
Currently fourth on the table, with just a point less than third-placed AmaZulu FC, who have played two games more than them, Chiefs are under pressure not to blow away the top-three opportunity. That places the co-coaches under the spotlight to mend their relationship with fans who were recently baying for their heads.
MBESUMA EXPLAINS WHY BEN YOUSSEF AND KAZE COULD BE CRUCIAL FOR CHIEFS IN FUTURE
In the event that Chiefs appoint a new coach, he is likely to come in with his own backroom staff. Mbesuma says this is the right time for Chiefs to appoint a new coach for next season, and the current co-coaches should be considered. The former Zambia international feels this would give the new man in charge ample time to start planning for next term.
‘I think this is the right time, a good time to have a new coach, even if he does not directly start working. He will just start planning. Chiefs need a coach for the long term,” Mbesuma told FARPost.
“He can bring his players, time to plan for next season and beyond. This is the right time. Those coaches who are currently there should stay and work with the new coach for continuity.
“It’s a good idea for the coaches who already know the players to combine and work together with the new coach. It can work. The new coach will find some people who are already on the ground to help them.
“That will make it easy for the new coach, he will have some people who can easily relate to what was on the ground, and they can work together in correcting what was going wrong.
“I know Chiefs are not easy to coach because fans look for immediate results. But to achieve all their goals, they have to plan today. I trust management knows what they are doing.
Mbesuma explains the ideal coach needed at Chiefs as they seek to build a team capable of competing for major trophies.
“Maybe we need a coach who understands African football, who has ideas of the culture of African football,” added Mbesuma, who also turned out for Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns.
“If they are to take someone from Europe, we need a coach who can balance African and European football. That’s if he is from outside, overseas.”
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