Fernando Da Cruz wants Kaizer Chiefs to build on impressive start

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Fernando Da Cruz says he hopes his players will continue to develop their understanding of the playing style he has introduced after beginning the Betway Premiership season with a 3-1 victory over Kruger United.

The win at Mbombela Stadium on Saturday followed success in the Toyota Cup, giving Da Cruz an encouraging start to his time in charge of Amakhosi.

The French coach replaced Khalil Ben Youssef and Cedric Kaze, who worked as co-coaches for Kaizer Chiefs last season, during the off-season. He was then able to oversee a full pre-season with the club as he began putting his ideas into practice.

That preparation ended with a 1-0 victory over Scottland FC at Royal Bafokeng Stadium, a result which secured Toyota Cup glory for Kaizer Chiefs.

The club carried that momentum into its opening Betway Premiership fixture, producing a performance that attracted widespread praise and earned all three points against Kruger United.

Da Cruz believes the work completed on the training ground is now beginning to show during matches, with his squad becoming more familiar with his game model.

“I implemented works, for sure, and a game model also,” said Da Cruz after the match against Kruger United.

“For the moment, the players like this game model and like also working hard every day with us.

“I hope that it will continue, but I know also that it’s not the end of the world. It’s only two games [that we have played] and the season will be long and we have a lot of work.”

The victory over Kruger United was only the second competitive match of Da Cruz’s tenure, following the Toyota Cup final victory over Scottland FC.

While the early results have strengthened the sense of progress around Kaizer Chiefs, Da Cruz was keen to stress that the campaign remains at an early stage. He acknowledged that his players have made a positive start to adapting to the approach he wants them to adopt, but also underlined the amount of work still required over the course of the season.

Da Cruz’s immediate focus is therefore on ensuring that the improvement seen across the two matches continues. The French mentor has seen his side win both games since taking charge, but he remains aware that the Betway Premiership season will be long and that the squad must keep working to develop its understanding of the team’s style.

For now, Kaizer Chiefs have made the desired start under their new coach, with Toyota Cup success followed by a convincing league victory. Da Cruz’s hope is that the positive relationship between his players and the new game model will continue as the season progresses.