Match centre

Five insights from Chiefs’ relaxed Naturena media session

Kaizer Chiefs players at the Village on Thursday morning - 21 May

Kaizer Chiefs players. Picture by Zamani Makautsi/Zakes Photography

Kaizer Chiefs hosted their final media open day of the 2025/26 Betway Premiership season at Naturena Village, offering a relaxed but telling snapshot of a campaign that has steadily taken shape over the months.

There was a different atmosphere, the kind that arrives when a long season winds down and reflection starts to replace urgency.

Even the questions journalists posed to Aden McCarthy, Luke Baartman and Reeve Frosler were different. Understandably, under the guidance of Khalil Ben Youssef and Cedric Kaze, Amakhosi have achieved their strongest league finish in the post-COVID era. The improvement has been steady and measurable, with the team eager to end the campaign on a high note.

A win in their final fixture against Chippa United would take Chiefs to 57 points, matching the 2019/20 tally that came close to securing the league title. It’s a milestone that underscores how far the team has come in consistency and competitiveness this season.

Building on the momentum of the 2025 Nedbank Cup triumph under Nasreddine Nabi, Chiefs are assured of a third-place finish in the league. On Thursday at Naturena, FARPost noted five key talking points from Chiefs’ session.

KAZE AND BEN YOUSSEF IN HIGH SPIRITS

The co-coaches, Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef, arrived in high spirits, setting the tone early. Ben Youssef greeted members of the media warmly, while Kaze matched the energy with an easy confidence. Of course, the ever-bubbly Ilyes Mzoughi went all out to welcome journalists to the Village.

It wasn’t long before Burundian mentor, Kaze, found a moment for a bit of humour. Spotting award-winning Soccer Beat journalist Neo Phoho, he laughed and joked that he was still “waiting for the apology”.

Phoho knew immediately that it was a playful reference to comments his senior, Peter du Toit, had made earlier in the season. What once might have been a tense storyline now landed more like an inside joke, especially with the season’s results now speaking for themselves. However, the two co-coaches have yet to learn their fate, with their contracts set to expire at the end of June.

Kaizer Chiefs players at training on Thursday, 21 May 2026 at Kaizer Chiefs Village in Naturena
Kaizer Chiefs players at training. Picture by Zamani Makautsi/Zakes Photography

ETIOSA IGHODARO BACK IN FULL TRAINING WITH KAIZER CHIEFS TEAMMATES

On the training pitch, attention turned to Etiosa Ighodaro, who has endured a stop-start season due to injury. The Nigerian was in full training with the squad, though his match minutes remain limited: six starts, one substitute appearance, and a single goal scored in the CAF Confederation Cup. The former Mamelodi Sundowns striker will be hoping for better fortune next season.

MDUDUZI SHABALALA IN CONVERSATION WITH SPORTING DIRECTOR KAIZER MOTAUNG JNR

Nearby, Mduduzi Shabalala was deep in conversation with the club’s sporting director, Kaizer Motaung Jr, his arm in a sling after surgery for an injury sustained against Sundowns recently. Despite the setback, his engagement with the group suggested a player still very much plugged into the squad’s rhythm, even from the sidelines.

KAIZER CHIEFS’ DDC PLAYERS TRAINING WITH SENIOR TEAM

Elsewhere, the future was on display in full. A cluster of DDC players, including Kabelo Nkgwesa, Pheko Phago, Naledi Hlongwane, Naphtali Mokoena and Takalani Mazhamba, trained alongside the senior squad, offering a glimpse of the next wave pushing through the system.

Nkgwesa, a talented left-back, has shown so much promise and is knocking on the first team door. Mokoena and Mazhamba have even been closer with the senior side this season. The session had a sense of continuity: the senior group closing out a season of progress while the younger players quietly stepped into the space behind them.

FIACRE NTWARI AND NKANYISO SHINGA NOT PART OF THE GROUP

Fiacre Ntwari and Nkanyiso Shinga were not part of the group at the final media open day at Naturena Village, and both players were absent from the session. Ntwari recently underwent surgery, while Shinga was ruled out by an Achilles injury.

RELATED STORY: Vicky Mkhawana sends message to Chiefs management following promotion success