Masilela questions whether Da Cruz’s style suits Kaizer Chiefs

Kaizer Chiefs’ unbeaten start to the Betway Premiership has not stopped former defender Tshepo Masilela questioning whether head coach Fernando da Cruz’s football philosophy is the right fit for the club.

Chiefs have taken 13 points from their first seven league matches, winning three and drawing four. However, they have struggled to convert encouraging performances into victories, including a goalless draw with Golden Arrows in their most recent Betway Premiership match.

Masilela does not believe Da Cruz’s approach should automatically be described as defensive. He pointed to the use of Pule Mmodi in a wing-back role and said Chiefs’ inability to consistently collect points had been compounded by errors at the back.

“When I look at the way they set up, I don’t think they’re defensive, he could say he’s playing a winger a wingback in Pule Mmodi but also his team is scoring but the mistakes at the back always disappoint them and sees them drop points,” Masilela said on the Soccerbeat podcast.

Chiefs have scored 12 goals in their seven league fixtures, but have conceded seven. Defensive mistakes have repeatedly undermined their efforts and become a central talking point around Da Cruz’s team.

Masilela’s main concern, though, is whether Chiefs properly assessed Da Cruz’s methods before appointing him. He questioned whether the club had enough evidence of the coach’s preferred style and whether it matched the football culture Chiefs wanted to establish.

“Another thing is it’s not like Da Cruz was coaching a Pyramids FC or a Yanga SC and we got to see how he sets up his team so we can see if he’s an attacking coach or possession-based and that maybe brings me to question whether the club did their homework on how plays and if that will fit the culture the club prefers.”

The former Bafana Bafana international compared the situation with Manchester United’s decision to appoint Ruben Amorim. He said Amorim remained committed to his preferred system despite suggestions that he should abandon a back-three formation.

“It’s the similar things that happened to a Manchester United when they hired Ruben Amorim, even when he got suggestions that he should change his back three, he opted to lose his job while playing in a way he believed in.”

Da Cruz has also stayed committed to his principles since taking charge of Chiefs, and the side’s unbeaten record indicates there are positive elements within his approach.

The four draws in seven matches, however, underline how narrowly Chiefs have missed out on turning performances into three-point results.

Masilela’s reservations therefore centre less on whether Da Cruz is an attacking or defensive coach and more on whether his philosophy is compatible with the direction Kaizer Chiefs want to take.