Fernando Da Cruz faces major issues at Kaizer Chiefs!

The French coach has to overcome some obstacles with his team.

Africa Today at 10:54

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Fernando Da Cruz faces major issues at Kaizer Chiefs!

Fernando Da Cruz walked through the doors at Kaizer Chiefscarrying the weight of expectation, tasked with lifting the club back to the summit of South African football. The road back, however, has been anything but smooth. Injuries have taken their toll, individual errors have proven costly, and the club's new arrivals only came in late, all of which have made the mission that much harder.

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Injuries hinder Kaizer Chiefs' operations

Injuries have emerged as the most pressing early headache for Da Cruz, stripping him of players he had counted on. Among those sidelined are Flavio Da Silva, Rushwin Dortley, Bradley Cross, Khanyisa Mayo, Reeve Frosler and Langelihle Phiri, leaving the technical team short of several figures who were meant to carry significant responsibility.

The defensive setup has felt the pinch most acutely through the absences of Frosler and Dortley, while Mayo's unavailability has narrowed the coach's choices in attack.

What this has meant in practice is that Da Cruz has been forced into tactical reshuffles sooner than he would have liked, testing out various combinations rather than settling on a preferred eleven and letting it gel.

Recent signings and integrating into the team

Then there is the matter of the newcomers who only linked up with Chiefs late in the transfer window. Langelihle Phili, Adolf Mtasingwa and Faiz Abrahams were denied the benefit of a full pre-season, meaning they have had to play catch-up on Da Cruz's tactical blueprint and his broader footballing vision while their colleagues were already up to speed.

Their minutes have consequently been handled with care, Mtasingwa's in particular, as the coach looks to shield those still coming to grips with the setup from being thrown in too deep. A further consequence is that Da Cruz has been unable to field what might be his strongest eleven on a regular basis.

All of which makes the approaching international break a potentially valuable window for Chiefs — a chance for the technical staff to iron out defensive lapses, for the injured to work their way back, and for the late arrivals to deepen their understanding of what the coach is asking of them.