Da Cruz: In my meetings with Kaizer Jr., we always speak about…

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Kaizer Chiefs head coach Fernando Da Cruz is embraced by club sporting director Kaizer Motaung Jr. Photo: Zamani Makautsi/Gallo Images

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Da Cruz: In my meetings with Kaizer Jr., we always speak about…

Oct 29, 2026 – 09:57 am
By Siya Ndlela

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Fernando Da Cruz has shed light on his meetings with the club’s sporting director, Kaizer Motaung Jr.

The office of Chiefs’ sporting director recently released an official statement reaffirming absolute backing for the technical team after a disappointing exit from the CAF Confederation Cup.

Da Cruz’s men responded in emphatic fashion with a 3-0 hammering of TS Galaxy in the Last 16 of the Carling Knockout at FNB Stadium on Tuesday.

Speaking during the post-match press conference, the head coach welcomed the unified stance from the club’s decision-makers.

“First of all, I’d like to thank the club for the message they sent on social media, whether it was the Sporting Director or the club’s board. I’d like to thank the Sporting Director and the entire board for the statement they made,” Da Cruz said.

He revealed details of a constructive meeting held with Motaung Jr, emphasising how crucial institutional backing is for building a sustainable project. He noted that while external criticism is inevitable after an early cup exit, the internal clarity and clear communication from the sporting director provided immense stability to the dressing room.

“We have a very clear structure within the club, where I regularly meet with the Sporting Director. Every two or three weeks, we have a meeting to discuss the situation of the team and the club’s project,” he explained.

“It’s very important to have the confidence they have given us for the daily work that we do. Whether we win, draw or lose, we always need to analyse the situation properly. In our meetings, we always speak about how to improve the team every day.

“Today, I’m not a better coach than I was last week just because we were eliminated from the CAF,” he said.

“When we analyse the situation, we can say that we were unlucky because, in some of the draws we had, we deserved to win. We have also been unlucky with injuries, because we have a lot of players who have suffered contact injuries,” Da Cruz added.

The Frenchman insisted that the public vote of confidence from the board acted as a major motivational boost for both the technical staff and the players ahead of their domestic fixtures.

With internal harmony restored, the Soweto giants look to stabilise their campaign and repay the hierarchy’s trust with consistent domestic performances, starting with Saturday’s Soweto Derby against Orlando Pirates at FNB Stadium (15:00).

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