Ben Youssef begins Durban City era after Chiefs success

Tunisian coach Khalil Ben Youssef says the work he carried out as co-coach at Kaizer Chiefs last season helped shape his decision to take charge of Durban City, where he has now begun his new role with two defeats.

Ben Youssef worked alongside Cedric Kaze at Kaizer Chiefs following the departure of Nasreddine Nabi. Together, the coaching team guided Amakhosi to a third-place finish in the domestic campaign and secured qualification for the CAF Confederation Cup group stage.

He has since taken over a Durban City side that enters the new season as Nedbank Cup champions. The KwaZulu-Natal club will also play continental football after finishing in the domestic Top Eight last season.

The transition to Durban City has given Ben Youssef a different working environment from the one he experienced at Naturena. He is now adapting to the demands of a new club while preparing the team for the challenges ahead.

“I think that is our job as coaches; we were co-coaches with Cedric and working together, and I think we did a good job last season,” says Ben Youssef.

The coach said he had several opportunities before deciding to accept the Durban City position, with discussions involving the club’s chairman and board playing an important role in his decision.

“This season, I had some opportunities with different teams, and I chose to join Durban City because I believe in the process.

“We discussed a lot between me and the chairman and the board.

“I think the project is clear.

“The idea was clear, and for that I joined the team.

“Moving forward, I think only the result will answer about your question,” says Ben Youssef, who has started his new job with two defeats.

His immediate task is to find a response on Wednesday, when Durban City face Golden Arrows at Chatsworth Stadium.

The club’s status as Nedbank Cup holders and its qualification for continental competition mean expectations will be high, while the Top Eight finish from last season provides the foundation for the next stage of its development.

At Kaizer Chiefs, Ben Youssef and Kaze were able to steady the team after Nabi’s departure and finish the season in third place. Their progress also ensured a route back into CAF competition through the Confederation Cup group stage.

Durban City will now look to achieve a similar level of progress under Ben Youssef as the coach settles into the project he chose after talks with the club’s leadership.

The coach’s comments come as Kaizer Chiefs’ own MTN8 journey has been discussed alongside the historical success of both Chiefs and Orlando Pirates. Chiefs’ MTN8 campaign was also ended by Lamontville Golden Arrows, adding further focus to the upcoming meeting between Durban City and Golden Arrows.

For Ben Youssef, however, the attention is now on delivering results at his new club and showing that the project he backed can produce success on the domestic and continental stages.