Da Cruz insists coaching instincts remain sharp as he steps into Kaizer Chiefs hot seat

Fernando da Cruz says the demands of front-line coaching will not catch him cold as he prepares for his first full season in charge of Kaizer Chiefs, insisting his recent work has kept him close to the pitch despite a modest profile in mainstream management.

The 53-year-old Frenchman has faced questions over his lack of a high-profile head coach role in the past three years, but he argues that his recent positions – including a spell in charge of AS FAR Rabat and a technical post with the Royal Moroccan Football Federation – have ensured he never drifted away from day-to-day coaching.

Da Cruz’s task at Chiefs is clear and uncompromising: improve on the platform left by Khalil Ben Youssef and Cedric Kaze, who guided the club to third place in the league, and push the South African giants deeper into both continental and domestic competitions.

‘Like when you ride a bicycle’

Da Cruz last served as a head coach during the 2022-23 season at AS FAR Rabat, a campaign that was bookended by spells as the club’s technical director. After that, he spent a brief period as an assistant coach at Chiefs before returning to Morocco to work as one of the technical heads under Jamal Fathi at the Royal Moroccan Football Federation.

That track record has led to scrutiny over whether he has been away from the stresses of leading a team, but Da Cruz rejects that suggestion.

“But before the Morocco Federation job, I trained AS FAR,” he says, adopting a noticeably defensive tone when asked about his absence from the touchline as a recognised head coach.

“So, I was at training every day and on the bench every week.

“During the job with the Royal Morocco Federation, I also went inside the training pitch because some of part of my job was on the pitch.

“So, when I came to the pitch in Naturena it was natural like when you ride a bicycle.

“You never forget how you train,” says Da Cruz.

Targets at home and in Africa

Chiefs have handed Da Cruz a wide-ranging brief that stretches across all major fronts. Domestically, he is expected to mount a stronger league campaign than last term’s third-place finish and make a sustained push in the country’s knockout competitions.

On the continent, the focus is on moving beyond the group phase of the CAF Confederation Cup, a stage at which Chiefs have fallen short in recent seasons. Progress in Africa is seen within the club as essential to restoring Chiefs’ standing among the continent’s elite.

Da Cruz, however, maintains he is comfortable with the weight of expectation that comes with one of the most scrutinised roles in South African football.

“I’m ready for this pressure, I know that this is a job with a lot of pressure but there is no problem for me.

“I’m used to managing this pressure around me, but we need our fans to push us to get the best results.

“We will give the best every day in every game, so we need everyone around us to push up and have a positive environment around us.

“When you do this job, you know it can go one way or the other, so I’m prepared for that,” says Da Cruz.

Season opener in Mbombela

Chiefs begin their campaign on Saturday evening against Kruger United at Mbombela Stadium, a fixture that will offer the first real indication of how Da Cruz intends to shape the side in competitive action.

His appointment comes at a time of wider change at Naturena, with the club under pressure to end a barren run in major competitions and to match the ambitions of a demanding fanbase.

While off-field issues such as existing player bans – including the ongoing suspension of Fiston Kalala Mayele Lilepo, as previously confirmed by the club – form part of the backdrop, Da Cruz remains adamant that his focus is on the training pitch and the immediate task of turning Chiefs into consistent contenders again.

For now, his message is that his coaching instincts have never dulled, even during spells away from the spotlight, and that stepping into the Chiefs dugout feels like a continuation rather than a restart of his managerial journey.