Durban City FC have fired head coach Khalil Ben Youssef just three months after appointing him, FARPost can reveal. The Tunisian took charge of training early on Saturday, but the club has since informed him and members of the technical staff of the decision to end his tenure.
Ben Youssef was appointed in June to lead the club into the 2026/27 Betway Premiership season. The KZN side collected seven points from their first seven Betway Premiership matches under him.
They have won one game, picked four draws and lost twice in the league this season. The decision comes despite a winning start to City’s CAF Confederation Cup campaign. They beat Burundi’s Rukinzo FC 1-0 at home and 2-1 away to advance 3-1 on aggregate in the first preliminary round.
Ben Youssef joined Durban City after leaving Kaizer Chiefs, where he had served as an assistant coach before sharing head coaching duties with Cedric Kaze. His last league match in charge was last Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Milford FC.
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Ben Youssef is the latest Betway Premiership coach to lose his post early in the season. Marumo Gallants dismissed Phuti Mohafe, Richards Bay parted ways with Ronnie Gabriel, and TS Galaxy moved Bernard Parker out of the head coach role.
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Sources say Durban City’s hierarchy gave Ben Youssef two matches to turn their fortunes around. City lost 2-0 to Orlando Pirates before drawing 1-1 with fellow Premiership newcomers Milford FC. The Milford match was his 10th in charge across the league, MTN8 and CAF Confederation Cup.
His tenure began with a 1-0 league defeat to a side coached by his former Chiefs colleague, Kaze. Kaze was dismissed two weeks ago and has since taken charge of Tanzania’s Kagera Sugar FC.
Ben Youssef recorded three wins. His only league win came against Kruger United, and he beat Burundi’s Rukinzo FC twice in the CAF Confederation Cup. City also exited the MTN8 against Pirates after playing part of the 120-minute contest with 10 men.
The change follows a season of coaching turnover at City. Gavin Hunt began last season in charge before Sinethemba Badela replaced him. Badela lasted three matches before Pitso Dladla took over for the rest of the campaign. Dladla guided City to the Nedbank Cup title before leaving at the end of the season. He is now at Golden Arrows.
The 37-year-old holds a CAF A Licence and has worked in Tunisia, Morocco, Tanzania, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. His previous roles include spells with Yanga and Club Africain.
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