THE FUSE

Kaizer Chiefs appear to be peaking at the right time this season having won back-to-back matches before the international break.

Beofre that, they suffered four consecutive losses and it looked like their season was turning into a nightmare.

Wins against Magesi FC and Durban City have eased the pressure not only on the players but also co-coaches as well. They have a mandate to guide Chiefs into top three finish this season.

Khalil Ben Youssef and Cedric Kaze will most likely not be at Naturena next season but a top three finish means they will have fulfilled their mandate and ended the season on a high which will no doubt improve their resume.

In terms of Kaizer Chiefs’ next coach, reports Fernando Da Cruz as a potential candidate for a return to Naturena. He had a short stint in the 2024/25 pre-season as Nasreddine Nabi’s assistant.

Another strong candidate is Pitso Mosimane. The ex-Mamelodi Sundowns have won everything there is to win in Africa and might be the coach who might bring Chiefs back to the top.

This week’s reports indicated that Manqoba Mngqithi might be in the running for the hot seat. The 55-year-old coach has achieved a lot with Sundowns and Golden Arrows and a move to Naturena might be what he need.

Having struggled for gametime for years at Mamelodi Sundowns, Lebogang Maboe joined Chiefs as a free agent. Although he didn’t make an impact instantly, he gradually grew into his role in the middle of the park.

This second half of the season, he has been the team’s best player. Man of the Match performances has helped Amakhosi climb to fourth on the log.

At the end of the season, he might pen down a contract extention but again, that will all depend on the new coach.

in terms of players leaving, Khanyisa Mayo looks destined to exit Kaizer Chiefs following his unsuccessful loan spell from Algeria. He has only netted once in 12 matches and appears to be down the pecking order.

Another player set to leave is Rwandan international Fiarce Ntwari. The young goalkeeper has not played a single match for the club this season.