Da Cruz faces tough MTN8 test as Chiefs’ recent coaching history offers little comfort

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Fernando da Cruz will make his MTN8 debut with the club’s recent record under new managers providing a sobering reminder of how difficult the competition has proved for Amakhosi.

Chiefs missed the ‘Wafa Wafa’ competition for two successive seasons, meaning Nasreddine Nabi was unable to take part. Da Cruz is now the latest coach to lead the club into the tournament, with the performances of the previous five new managers offering a mixed record.

The most recent was Molefi Ntseki, who guided The Glamour Boys to the semi-finals at the beginning of the 2023/24 season. However, Chiefs were eliminated by rivals Mamelodi Sundowns, who secured a 3-2 aggregate victory.

The result was particularly frustrating for Chiefs after they were denied a penalty during stoppage time in the second leg in controversial circumstances.

Before Ntseki, Arthur Zwane managed to take Amakhosi beyond the quarter-final stage at the start of the 2022/23 campaign. His side reached the semi-finals but could not go further, as AmaZulu progressed on the away-goals rule after the tie finished 1-1 on aggregate.

Stuart Baxter had returned for a second spell in charge when the 2021/22 season began, but his side also failed to reach the final. Chiefs were knocked out in the quarter-finals by The Brazilians, with Mamelodi Sundowns winning on penalties after the match ended 2-2 following extra time.

The heaviest defeat in the recent sequence came under Gavin Hunt. During the season before Baxter’s return, Chiefs were beaten 5-0 on aggregate by Soweto rivals Orlando Pirates in the semi-finals.

Hunt’s tenure began in difficult circumstances because he joined Amakhosi while the club was serving a transfer ban. Chiefs were therefore unable to register new players during that period.

Giovanni Solinas also fell short of winning the first trophy available in the 2018/19 campaign. After arriving before the start of the season, he guided Chiefs to the semi-finals, where they were beaten 3-2 on aggregate by SuperSport United.

The results underline the challenge Da Cruz faces as he begins his MTN8 campaign. Of the five coaches who preceded him in this period, Zwane was the only one to complete a full season in charge of Kaizer Chiefs.

All of the others eventually left the club after being relieved of their duties.