The long-awaited tactical reset at Naturena is official, but it has instantly split the Khosi Nation right down the middle.
Kaizer Chiefs have officially unveiled French-Portuguese tactician Fernando Da Cruz as their new permanent head coach on a two-year contract with a one-year option, effective July 1, 2026.
Da Cruz takes over the hot seat following the departure of co-coaches Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef, who managed to stabilize the Glamour Boys into a third-place Betway Premiership finish and a spot in the CAF Confederation Cup last season.
While the 53-year-old boasts an elite UEFA Pro Licence and a Botola Pro League title under his belt with Morocco’s AS FAR, Amakhosi social media feeds exploded with immediate skepticism—with many asking why the board ignored legendary local free agent Pitso “Jingles” Mosimane.
The Great Naturena Divide: Fans React
The official announcement on Wednesday evening triggered an avalanche of polarizing fan commentary across X (Twitter) and Instagram.
KAIZER CHIEFS FANBASE SENTIMENT
The Optimists: Believing Da Cruz's familiarity with Naturena will bring structure
The Skeptics: Demanding to know why a proven serial winner like Pitso was ignored
Team “Let Him Cook”
Some sections of the Amakhosi faithful have urged the club to back the incoming manager, noting his high-level background as the former Technical Director for the Moroccan Football Federation and his previous stints at French powerhouse LOSC Lille (where he helped groom global stars like Victor Osimhen and Eden Hazard).
- @Qabzo: “Welcome back to the Khosi Nation, Coach Da Cruz. We must cruise nicely next season.”
- @jtamz2: “Welcome Coach Da Cruz to the mighty Khosi. We wish you well as you build on the work done by the co-coaches.”
Team “Why Not Pitso?”
However, a highly vocal majority expressed deep disappointment, questioning Da Cruz’s pedigree to instantly end the club’s trophy drought and labeling him with the ultimate PSL insult: a “plumber.”
- @EdwinMokhosi: “I love this team with all my heart, but I think it’s time to pack my bags. You have Pitso Mosimane, a proven winner, and you go for this one… We are not ready to be the best in Africa.”
- @Musojnr: “What has he won as a head coach? This plumber? I’ll listen on the radio.”
- @LeboThamage: “We never learn. Our problem is not the coaches, our management is the problem. How long are we going to keep changing coaches instead of fixing the real issue?”
What’s Next for the New Technical Setup?
Da Cruz isn’t arriving alone. The club confirmed a massive technical restructuring, locking in Mahmoud Abbas (35, Egypt) as the new Assistant Coach and Julien Le Heran (France) to head the high-performance Sports Science department.
The Amakhosi playing squad is scheduled to return to training on Thursday, June 18, under the temporary eye of Abbas, before Da Cruz arrives a week later to lead the team to an intense pre-season training camp in Germany.
