Da Cruz tasked with restoring Kaizer Chiefs to former glory

Kaizer Chiefs have shown enough in their opening three matches of the season to suggest new manager Fernando Da Cruz could revive the club’s fortunes, despite a series of costly defensive mistakes.

Amakhosi remain some way short of being able to compete consistently with Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates, or mount a serious challenge for league honours. However, Da Cruz appears to have been identified by the club’s management as the man capable of helping Chiefs recover the status they once held in South African football.

That may sound overly optimistic after such a short period in charge, but there have already been encouraging signs that the Frenchman can bring direction and intensity to a side that has lost its previously undisputed position among the country’s leading trophy contenders.

Chiefs’ problems were exposed in their quarter-final defeat by Golden Arrows. They played a major part in their own elimination when goalkeeper Brandon Petersen strayed from his line and Khulekani Shezi punished him by scoring from an acute angle.

Petersen was again at the centre of attention against Mamelodi Sundowns. Chiefs began that match positively and put the Confederation of African Football (Caf) Champions League holders under sustained pressure.

There were periods when Amakhosi looked purposeful and assured. Their passing was accurate, their possession was composed and they took the lead through new number 10 Langelihle Phili, who completed a fine attacking move started by Siphesihle Ndlovu.

But 12 minutes later, Petersen failed to claim a cross after coming off his line, allowing Caissius Mailula to head Sundowns level. Mailula, who has enjoyed a revival during his second spell at the club, made the most of the opportunity.

Petersen’s omission from the World Cup had caused concern among Chiefs supporters, many of whom felt his form justified selection. Yet another error-strewn display followed in the 2-2 draw away to Richards Bay in midweek.

The goalkeeper was unable to deal with a back pass from Thabo Moloisane, and his poor first touch gave Nqaba Xulu the chance to apply pressure and block the attempted clearance into the net.

Chiefs’ second concession also followed an avoidable mistake. Zitha Kwinika had time to clear the danger but instead played the ball back towards Petersen. The resulting confusion led to a corner, from which Xulu scored again to complete his brace.

Those incidents underlined the weaknesses that Da Cruz must address. Yet the response from Chiefs offered a more positive indication of what may be possible under the new manager.

Despite playing in heavy rain, they refused to collapse and continued to pursue an equaliser. A sharp, progressive move created the opportunity for a penalty, which Lebohang Maboe converted.

Chiefs could have fallen further behind when Gumede went one-on-one with Petersen and shot wide, while Wandile Duba had earlier sent an effort over the crossbar. Instead, Amakhosi kept pushing and eventually drew level when Ndlovu made a well-timed run into the penalty area before guiding a precise side-footed finish beyond Ian Otieno.

For a club of Kaizer Chiefs’ stature, a comeback draw should not be viewed as an achievement in itself. The standards now expected were established by former players who helped build the club into the most supported side in the republic.

Da Cruz’s challenge is to turn an unstable team into an efficient one. To do so, his players must eliminate the basic errors that have undermined promising performances in their first three matches. They also need to adopt a different mentality and approach games with greater urgency.

Da Cruz, it appears, has little patience for players who simply drift through matches.

There are also wider issues for Chiefs’ management to resolve. The familiar explanation that clubs demand inflated fees whenever Chiefs show interest in their players is no longer sufficient. It may indicate that the club’s relationships with other teams are not as strong as they once were, or that its recruitment department is no longer operating at the level it did during the club’s successful years.

Da Cruz’s prospects of restoring Chiefs to their former standing will depend partly on those issues being addressed. If they are, the old saying “when Chiefs sneeze, everyone catches a cold” may once again carry real weight.

The story’s audio was generated using AI.