NATURENA, SOUTH AFRICA — The sweeping structural overhaul at Kaizer Chiefs has officially crossed into the department of elite goalkeeping. Under the explicit direction of newly appointed French head coach Fernando Da Cruz, Amakhosi have secured the services of fellow countryman Olivier Sorin as the club’s new first-team goalkeeper coach.
The highly regarded French tactician has put pen to paper on a two-year contract, which includes an option to extend for an additional season, as the Soweto giants aggressively finalize their backroom staff ahead of the highly anticipated 2026/27 Betway Premiership campaign.
Shaking Up the Global Stage: The Mendy & Mandanda Blueprint
Sorin arrives at Naturena boasting an elite European pedigree, headlined by a coveted UEFA Goalkeeper A Licence. Over the past decade, the former professional shot-stopper has been an influential force in the French Ligue 1, notably serving as a developmental mastermind at Stade Rennais.
Amakhosi fans have massive reasons to be excited about his training curriculum, given his track record of shaping world-class international keepers:
- Édouard Mendy: Former Chelsea UEFA Champions League winner and Senegal international.
- Steve Mandanda: Legendary French World Cup winner and Marseille icon.
- Doğan Alemdar: Rising Turkish international prodigy.
Technical Department Blueprint
- Role: First-Team Head Goalkeeper Coach
- Contract Length: 2 Years (Plus 1-year optional extension)
- Qualifications: UEFA Goalkeeper A Licence
- Previous Strongholds: Stade Rennais, Ligue 1 (France)
- Head Coach: Fernando Da Cruz
Global Ambitions for domestic and CAF campaigns
Sorin has already arrived in South Africa and hit the ground running at the Naturena village. His immediate directive will be to dramatically upgrade the tactical discipline, positioning, and aerial control of the current Amakhosi goalkeeping stable.
With Chiefs set to balance an intense domestic calendar alongside a demanding return to continental football in the CAF Confederation Cup, the integration of Sorin’s world-class European methodology is viewed as a foundational pillar for Da Cruz’s rebuilding phase.
