Kaizer Chiefs Coach Fernando da Cruz Opens Up About Mounting Pressure at the Club

Kaizer Chiefs Coach Fernando da Cruz Opens Up About Mounting Pressure at the Club

  • Fernando Da Cruz broke his silence on the growing tension at Kaizer Chiefs amid reported internal disagreements over his team selections
  • Chiefs have managed only two wins from their last eight matches across all competitions, raising concern among the Amakhosi hierarchy
  • Da Cruz pointed to Arsenal and PSG as examples of why patience is needed when rebuilding a football club

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Fernando Da Cruz has spoken publicly about the mounting pressure he faces at the club, as reports emerge of unrest within the Amakhosi camp over his management decisions.

Sources close to the club indicate that disagreements have surfaced among senior staff and the hierarchy regarding Da Cruz's team selections, with inconsistent results fuelling the discontent. Although Chiefs remain unbeaten in the Betway Premiership, their broader form paints a different picture — just two wins, five draws, and one defeat from their last eight matches across all competitions.

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Da Cruz Addresses the Pressure

The French coach acknowledged the weight of expectation that comes with managing one of South Africa's biggest clubs, but insisted he is focused on the task at hand.

"From the day I joined Kaizer Chiefs, I knew that the pressure would be very high," Da Cruz said. "And I put pressure on myself every day; we try step by step to improve the level. We don't get the results from the moment we expect them, and that the fans expect."

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He went on to say that the welfare of supporters remains his primary concern. "The most important thing for me is that the fans must be happy. We are only on our job."

Da Cruz Calls for Patience in Club's Rebuild

When pressed on Chiefs' decade-long struggle to recapture their former dominance, Da Cruz drew comparisons with two of European football's heavyweight clubs to make his case for patience.

"For example, there's one club, Arsenal. It took seven years with Arteta to win one title. Paris Saint-Germain, it took 13 years to win one Champions League. So when we want to develop one project in one club, it takes time. It's not from one day to the other day," he said.

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The coach maintained that external opinions would not alter the club's direction. "Everyone is free to think what they want; the most important thing is to continue to develop our club because we are only focused on that."

Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Raphael Abiola avatar

Raphael Abiola (Sports editor) Raphael Abiola is a Sports Journalist with over nine years of experience. He obtained a B.Tech degree in Computer Science from the Federal University of Technology, Akure, in 2015. Raphael previously worked as a football editor at Stakegains (2016-2018) and a content editor with Opera News Nigeria (2018-2023). Raphael then worked as an Editor for the Local Desk at Sports Brief (2023-2024). Reach him via email at raphael.abiola@briefly.co.za.