Doctor Khumalo questions Durban City’s decision to dismiss Khalil Ben Youssef

SABC Sport analyst Doctor Khumalo says Durban City chairman Farook Kadodia may have lost faith in Khalil Ben Youssef, whose spell in charge ended after only seven league matches.

The club are preparing for another change in their technical team, with Eric Tinkler reportedly expected to take over this week.

Tinkler has confirmed that he resigned from his position at Ghanaian club Asante Kotoko after two months in charge, following an offer from South Africa.

Durban City’s latest coaching decision comes after a period of change at the club. Khumalo said only Kadodia could properly explain why Ben Youssef was removed, as those outside the club did not know what had happened internally.

“It’s so unfortunate because we can’t give an exact analysis of what’s transpired at Durban City because none of us here are there. So, from the look of things clearly the game is the teacher,” Khumalo said.

He questioned whether Ben Youssef had done enough to convince the chairman that he could deliver the club’s targets, including a top-eight finish or a place among the leading teams.

“What is it that he has achieved that is promising for him to be given or give the chairman the trust that definitely I will be in the top eight. Definitely I will be in the fourth, fifth position because they’ve just won the Nedbank Cup and now they are chasing the game, they are within the game. So, they need somebody that’s going to roll with them.”

Khumalo, a former Kaizer Chiefs stalwart, said Durban City’s ambitions meant the club needed a coach capable of matching their current momentum.

He also pointed to the departure of Dladla [Pitso] as another factor in the club’s changing technical structure, while acknowledging that the reasons behind the latest decision remained unclear.

“But they’ve just lost Dladla [Pitso] and this one is coming in and they are probably thinking, we are probably not gonna get what we want but it is difficult for us to predict exactly what the chairman is saying,” he added.

Ben Youssef’s dismissal at the weekend has therefore left Durban City preparing for a further change, with Tinkler’s anticipated arrival following his short stay at Asante Kotoko. The move would represent another major adjustment for a side whose expectations remain centred on continuing to compete near the top of the game.