Pressure Mounts On Ben Youssef At City
Khalil Ben Youssef during the Betway Premiership match between Sekhukhune United and Durban City
Pressure is understood to be mounting on Khalil Ben Youssef at Durban City following the club’s slow start to the 2026/27 season.
The Tunisian was appointed as head coach in the off-season after leaving Kaizer Chiefs, where he had worked alongside Cedric Kaze in a co-coaching capacity.
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He replaced Pitso Dladla, who guided Durban City as caretaker coach for the better part of last season, winning the Nedbank Cup and securing an eighth-place finish in the Betway Premiership, which earned the club a place in the MTN8.
Durban City subsequently came up against defending champions Orlando Pirates in the quarter-finals, losing 2-1 after extra time.
The bigger concern has been the team’s start to the league campaign.
After three matches, Durban City are still searching for their first win, having collected two draws and suffered one defeat.
The Siya crew has been informed that the early results have increased scrutiny around Ben Youssef, with members of the club’s management understood to be looking for an improvement.
The 37-year-old is still relatively early into his tenure and is understood to have an agreed assessment period with the club.
Speaking after the MTN8 defeat to Pirates, Ben Youssef revealed that he and the board had agreed to conduct a proper assessment after 15 matches, with a points target also forming part of that understanding.
The coach also acknowledged the precarious nature of his position in football, stressing that coaches always have to be prepared for uncertainty.
That assessment point remains some way off, but the current run means the mentor will be aware that the pressure can build well before such a review takes place.
The KwaZulu-Natal outfit will be hoping that results improve quickly and that the coach can begin to ease the concerns around his position.
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As things stand, Ben Youssef remains in charge, but with no league win from the opening three matches, the upcoming fixtures are becoming increasingly important.
The season is still young, and there is time to turn things around, but the Tunisian will know that results are ultimately the strongest way to settle the growing questions around his future.
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