Cedric Kaze quits Burundi advisory role to focus fully on Sekhukhune United rebuild

Cedric Kaze will not continue in his advisory role with Burundi’s national team as he prepares for a demanding first full season in charge of Sekhukhune United, with half his squad made up of new arrivals and returning players.

The 43-year-old coach, who was recently confirmed as Sekhukhune’s head coach, has stepped away from his technical advisor duties with the Federation de Football du Burundi (FFB), despite impressing during his short stint with the national side earlier this year.

Kaze’s immediate focus now shifts to navigating a congested domestic schedule, integrating a reshaped squad, and contesting both league and cup competitions with the Limpopo-based club.

Burundi impressed – but must now go on without Kaze

In March, Kaze had heeded a call from the FFB to assist as a technical advisor for Burundi’s preliminary qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) against Chad.

Working alongside head coach Patrick Sangwa, Kaze played a role in a dominant two-legged tie that Burundi won 8-0 on aggregate, a result that left the federation pleased with the impact of the temporary arrangement.

While the FFB had been encouraged by that collaboration, they will now begin the group stage of their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign in September without him.

Burundi have been drawn in Group I, where they will face Algeria, Zambia and Togo as they attempt to qualify for the expanded continental finals.

Heavy workload at Sekhukhune United

Kaze has “his hands full” at Sekhukhune, where his responsibilities extend far beyond matchday tactics.

Arriving as the new head coach, he is assisted by former midfielder and rising coach Papi Zothwane, and must quickly mould a side that is undergoing significant change.

Roughly half of the squad will consist of either new signings or players returning from spells away from the club. Among the returnees are South Africa defender Nyiko Mobbie and Nigerian forward Chibuike Ohizu, both of whom are expected to play important roles in the coming campaign.

The scale of the rebuild means Kaze is tasked with forging cohesion and consistency in a group that will need to gel quickly under competitive pressure.

Familiar face in first test of the season

Kaze’s first competitive match in charge of Sekhukhune United comes on 1 August, when they host Durban City at the Peter Mokaba Stadium.

Adding intrigue to the fixture is the presence of Durban City coach Khalil Ben Youssef on the opposite bench.

The pair know each other well: they previously served together as co-coaches at Kaizer Chiefs following the departure of Nasreddine Nabi, and will now meet as rivals in the technical area.

Tough league run and MTN8 commitments

Following the Durban City encounter, Sekhukhune face a demanding sequence of league fixtures before the next international window, which runs from 21 September to 6 October under the FIFA calendar.

Their schedule includes matches against Kaizer Chiefs, Polokwane City, Orlando Pirates, TS Galaxy, Stellenbosch and Richards Bay, a run that will test both the depth and adaptability of Kaze’s evolving squad.

On top of their league campaign, Sekhukhune will also compete in the MTN8, South Africa’s top-eight cup competition.

Kaze’s involvement in that tournament will depend on how far his team progresses, with the final scheduled for 10 October.

As he commits fully to his club role and steps away from national-team duties, Kaze’s success at Sekhukhune United is likely to be measured by how swiftly he can blend new and returning players into a competitive unit capable of challenging on multiple fronts.