Kadodia backs ‘tactically astute’ Ben Youssef to sustain Durban City surge

Durban Citychairman Farook Kadodia says new head coach Khalil Ben Youssef was appointed on the strength of his tactical acumen, analytical background and proven impact at Kaizer Chiefs, and has been set a mandate to at least match last season’s surprise success.

City marked their return to the Betway Premiership with an eighth-place finish and lifted the Nedbank Cup, a double achievement that secured qualification for the CAF Confederation Cup in the coming campaign.

Kadodia says those breakthroughs have set the benchmark for Ben Youssef, who has been told to keep the club in the league’s top eight while challenging for further silverware.

“Coach Khalil knows exactly what the club achieved last season,” the chairman said. “He’s got to match that or in fact better it. There’s no pressure – give us a Cup in the cupboard and keep us in top 8. That’s the mandate.”

Chiefs spell convinced Durban City hierarchy

Durban Cityturned to Ben Youssef after his two-year spell at Kaizer Chiefs, where he served first as assistant coach and later as co-coach.

During his time at Amakhosi, he helped end the club’s decade-long trophy drought, guided them to the group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup and secured a top-three league finish.

Speaking on Sports Night Amplified with Andile Ncube on Wednesday, Kadodia said those achievements, and the manner in which they were attained, made the Tunisian the standout candidate.

“Basically I said here is a coach that is tactically astute and basically he comes from a big background of analysis and he’s transferred that to his coaching qualification,” Kadodia explained.

“And I think the important thing is that yes hard work in this game is important. And we basically judged the work that was done, what we believe his contribution was at Kaizer Chiefs to qualify for this job.

“And the fact that he’s a foreign coach he worked two years in this country he knows a bit about the local football.”

Balancing domestic progress and continental debut

City’s eighth-place finish in the Betway Premiership, combined with their Nedbank Cup triumph, marked a remarkable first season back in the top flight and now brings the added challenge of continental competition.

The club will make their debut in the CAF Confederation Cup on the back of that cup victory, while trying to cement themselves as a consistent top-half side in South Africa’s premier division.

Kadodia believes Ben Youssef’s grounding in analysis and his familiarity with the local game from his time at Kaizer Chiefs leave him well equipped to handle the demands of competing on multiple fronts.

For the chairman, continuity of last season’s momentum – rather than radical overhaul – underpins the targets now in place, with Durban Cityaiming to remain in the top eight, add another trophy “in the cupboard” and build on their unexpected rise by testing themselves on the continental stage.