Sekhukhune United set top-four target under new head coach Cedric Kaze

Sekhukhune United head coach Cedric Kaze says the club’s minimum target for the 2026/27 season is to secure another top-four finish in the Betway Premiership.

The Burundian coach was appointed during the off-season, replacing Eric Tinkler after leaving Kaizer Chiefs at the end of the previous campaign.

Sekhukhune United have finished among the Premiership’s top five in each of the past three seasons, and Kaze says his side must maintain that level of performance.

“It’s a team that finished in the top five for the last three seasons. And the least is to finish where they were, top four,” said Kaze.

“And everything else can be like a bonus.”

Kaze has also praised the squad he inherited and expressed satisfaction with the club’s recruitment during the current transfer window.

The new head coach believes the foundations at Sekhukhune United are strong after the work carried out by previous managers, although he acknowledged that several important players have departed.

“I’ve found as well, first and foremost, a team that is well established. The previous coaches, they have done tremendous work,” he added.

“It’s a team that has already, you know, the core of it that has played together for the past two, three seasons. The only thing is we lost a couple of players that were important for the last few seasons. That’s [Keletso] Makgalwa, [Renaldo] Leaner, Bradley Grobler and [Thabang] Monare.

“And, you know, we needed to bring fresh blood. But as well, we needed to bring players that are ready to deliver because this is PSL. The training has been going good.

“And I think that they are getting on the right path for understanding what we want from them.”

Kaze’s immediate task will be to build on Sekhukhune United’s recent consistency while integrating the new arrivals into a squad that has retained much of its core.

He said the club had not simply sought to replace the players who left, but had instead focused on signing footballers capable of contributing immediately in the Premier Soccer League.

The coach added that preparations for the new campaign had progressed positively, with the players beginning to understand his methods and expectations.

Sekhukhune United’s top-five finishes over the previous three seasons have set a clear benchmark for Kaze’s first campaign in charge. While he regards a top-four finish as the minimum requirement, he suggested that any achievement beyond that would represent an additional reward.

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