Division At Naturena: da Cruz Under Fire As Chiefs Management Splits Over Selections
Sportswire has learnt that Kaizer Chiefs head coach Fernando da Cruz is facing an increasingly uncertain future at Naturena as internal divisions grow within the club’s management hierarchy.
Frustration among board members is mounting over Da Cruz’s tactical choices, particularly his reluctance to start midfielder Nkosingiphile Ngcobo despite a mounting injury list in the middle of the park.
The French-born tactician, who took charge at the start of the 2026/27 season, is enduring intense fan criticism during a four-match winless run across all competitions.
Amakhosi now face a high-stakes fixture against Zambian champions Red Arrows in the second leg of their CAF Confederation Cup preliminary tie at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium on Friday night.
Chiefs must overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit from Ndola by securing a two-goal victory margin—such as 2-0 or 3-1—to reach the Confederation Cup group stage.
Speaking at a press conference at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Thursday, Da Cruz appealed for patience amid Amakhosi’s ongoing slump, pointing to long-term projects like Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain as examples of patience yielding results.
“You look at Arsenal; it took them seven years with Mikel Arteta to win the title,” said Da Cruz.
“Paris Saint-Germain, it took 13 years [under the Qatar ownership group] to win one UEFA Champions League.
“To develop one project, it takes time, and it is not for one day or the other day.”
(Note: Arsenal ended a 22-year drought by lifting the Premier League crown in 2025/26, while PSG claimed back-to-back UEFA Champions League titles under Luis Enrique after QSI acquired full ownership in 2024/25 and 2025/26 seasons).
Friday’s continental clash marks the start of a defining week for Da Cruz, with Chiefs set to host TS Galaxy in the Carling Knockout Cup Round of 16 at FNB Stadium on Tuesday, followed by the Soweto Derby against Orlando Pirates at FNB Stadium next weekend.
With pressure mounting, the coming days could prove decisive for the Chiefs coach, who has won three of his 10 matches in charge.
“Everyone is free to think about what they want; the most important thing is to continue to develop our club because we are only focused on that. And one more time, everyone can think about what they want,” Da Cruz said.
