Kaizer Chiefs defender Thabo Moloisane has offered a fascinating glimpse into life under the Amakhosi technical team, revealing the strict tactical demands and relentless standards that head coach Fernando Da Cruz expects from every player in the squad.
Da Cruz took over the coaching job at Chiefs ahead of the 2026/27 Betway Premiership, aiming to help the club return to its glory days.
The French mentor arrived at Chiefs to replace co-coaches Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef, who were shown the exit door at the end of the previous campaign.
After Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef finished third behind Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns last season, Fernando Da Cruz is eager to go a step further by launching a genuine league title challenge, targeting a domestic cup, and mounting a deep run in the CAF Confederation Cup.
Da Cruz has had a promising start to his tenure at Chiefs as he’s yet to taste a defeat in the league. So far, the Soweto giants have registered three wins and four draws in seven matches played.
Chiefs are currently fourth in the league table with 13 points, while AmaZulu FC, Pirates and Sundowns sit in the top three.
DA CRUZ DEMANDS EXCELLENCE FROM CHIEFS PLAYERS
With the Glamour Boys desperate to fight for trophies in the current campaign, Moloisane has disclosed that Da Cruz demands excellence from his players.
“He demands excellence, you know, each and every training session is about working hard, and it’s about [good] mentality,” Moloisane said at the Kaizer Chiefs Naturena Village on Monday. “He is a coach that drives the mentality and makes sure that we all remember the institution that we’re representing.”
The talented defender has further opened up on the immediate changes that the coach has brought to Kaizer Chiefs.
“For me, looking at the club last season and now, I can definitely say that the team is playing much better. We are playing really well with the system that the coach instilled in the team. It’s just unfortunate that we didn’t win some of the games that we drew, but I can tell you that the system is working.”
The former Maritzburg United centre-back is one of the new players at Chiefs, having arrived in the off-season on a free transfer after parting ways with Stellenbosch FC at the end of the previous campaign.
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