Growing pressure on Fernando da Cruz as Chiefs struggle to keep pace

Fernando da Cruz is already facing growing scrutiny at Kaizer Chiefs, with the club’s early-season results raising doubts over whether he can improve on the progress made by Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef last season.

Kaze and Ben Youssef guided Chiefs to third place in the league and secured qualification for the CAF Confederation Cup group stage. Their 54-point total was the club’s second-highest since they last won the league 11 years ago.

Chiefs also won half of their league matches for the first time since Ernst Middendorp’s final season in charge.

Da Cruz has now overseen nine matches in all competitions, recording three wins, five draws and one defeat. That loss came against Golden Arrows and resulted in Chiefs’ elimination from the MTN8.

The Soweto club remain unbeaten in the league, but their performances have done little to suggest they can break into the top two occupied by Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates.

A further draw on Tuesday left Chiefs nine points behind Miguel Cardoso’s Sundowns and eight points adrift of Pirates, despite the league season not yet having reached its first third.

The display at FNB Stadium has increased concern that the gap to the leading teams could widen further. Chiefs’ prospects of finishing first or second are already becoming more difficult with every passing week.

Da Cruz’s team selections and tactical decisions have also come under scrutiny. Supporters have not been encouraged by what they have seen, particularly when comparing Chiefs with their two main rivals.

Some Amakhosi fans believe the club are making little progress under the Frenchman.

Da Cruz’s continued use of a translator when speaking to the media has also failed to win over supporters. It has drawn comparisons with former Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi, who also addressed the media through an interpreter.

Those concerns have led to early doubts over whether Da Cruz can become the first coach since Steve Komphela to complete two full seasons at Naturena.

His next league fixture will be against arch-rivals Orlando Pirates on October 31.

Pirates, coached by Abdeslam Ouaddou, are unbeaten in the league this season. After eight matches, they have conceded only once and have scored 19 goals.

Chiefs will therefore face a side that has combined defensive strength with a considerably more productive attack, underlining the scale of the challenge awaiting Da Cruz and his players.