Moloi Critiques Da Cruz's Caution at Kaizer Chiefs
Fernando Da Cruz has barely had time to learn the route from the tunnel to the dugout at Kaizer Chiefs, yet the honeymoon is already over.
The Frenchman’s early caution about the season ahead – his suggestion that this squad lacks the tactical variety and depth to chase honours on all fronts, especially with CAF Confederation Cup duties looming – has landed badly with some of the club’s former stars. The slow, almost hesitant start to the transfer window has only sharpened the glare.
And one old fan favourite has gone straight for the jugular.
Moloi tears into Da Cruz’s caution
Former Chiefs forward Fees Moloi has accused Da Cruz of preparing his excuses before a ball has even been kicked in anger, drawing an unflattering comparison with the coach’s predecessor, Nasreddine Nabi.
Speaking to KickOff, Moloi made it clear he sees a familiar pattern.
“Da Cruz is already making excuses so that if he fails to improve the team, he would be able to say ‘I told you so’,” he said, insisting the new man sounds “the same as Nabi”. The Frenchman’s public assessment of the squad, Moloi argued, echoes the tone of the Tunisian coach before him.
For Moloi, that stance cuts against everything the Kaizer Chiefs job is supposed to represent. This is a club that expects to chase every trophy, every season, transition or not. You do not talk about limitations. You solve them.
“It is his job to get the team ready. It seems he took the job blindly,” Moloi said, questioning how a coach could walk into Naturena without full conviction that he can make the current group competitive from the first whistle.
Expectations, pressure and a pointed question
Moloi’s criticism zeroed in on two things: professionalism and clarity. In his view, either the coach misread the scale of the challenge, or the communication between Da Cruz and the board was never sharp enough in the first place.
“If Kaizer Chiefs are not ready to compete, then what is he doing here?” Moloi asked bluntly. “He was brought in to prepare the team and make it competitive. This coach does not seem confident in himself.”
That line will sting at a club where self-belief has long been part of the badge. It also piles pressure on the hierarchy. Chiefs’ management now sit at a crossroads: back Da Cruz aggressively in the market or demand he finds solutions with what he has.
For Moloi, there should be no grey area. If reinforcements were non-negotiable, that should have been nailed down before the ink dried on the contract.
“Why did he accept the job at a team that is not ready?” he said. “He should have told management from the beginning that ‘For me to be able to make the team compete, you will have to strengthen here and there’.”
The message is clear. At Kaizer Chiefs, doubt is a luxury no head coach can afford – least of all one who has only just taken his seat.
