Kaizer Chiefs Coach Risks Wrath of Orlando Pirates Fans After Claims of Favouritism Towards Soweto Rivals

Kaizer Chiefs co-coach Khalil Ben Youssef has made claims of favouritism towards one of their key rivals when it comes to arranging fixtures.

Ben Youssef feels his team has been hard done by fixture planners as they have played six games in the last three weeks when local rivals Orlando Pirates, who do not have continental commitments, have featured in fewer games.

The complaints come following Chiefs’ 2-1 win over Egyptian side Al Masry, which saw them move top of their CAF Confederation Cup group, and need just a draw in their final group stage fixture this Saturday to seal a place in the quarter-final.

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The Glamour Boys are playing in both midweek and on weekends, with some matches involving travelling out of the country, and Ben Youssef feels what his side is being taken through is unfair as he is risking injuries to payers when Pirates had some off their games moved when they played in the CAF Champions League last season.

“When you prepare fixtures you have to think about the players, the team, as Chiefs we’re playing this competition and all our league games, I remember last season they [Orlando Pirates] played CAF games, they changed the fixtures and played their last five games in May,” the Tunisian coach complained.

“We’re playing in CAF and playing almost all the games, the opposition, they don’t play anything and have two or three games before us to be in the same amount of games. We’re representing the country, so we have to think about the team, how we manage the game.”

Ben Youssef feels Chiefs should have been given breaks in midweek games, something Pirates profited from last season, as the situation has left him with limited options, especially in central defence, while he has no time to train the players.

“It’s no excuses but reality, if you want to improve, help you need to help your team also, we’re Kaizer Chiefs, but we’re representing South Africa… what am I asking? We did this last season, some teams played the last, five, six games in May,” he went on.

“This season we played 15 [league] games, another team [Pirates], I don’t want to say names have played 15 games and they don’t play [in CAF]. If we represent Kaizer Chiefs – we represent Kaizer Chiefs, but when we represent South Africa, we represent South Africa.

“In every country I have worked in, when you play CAF games, you’re allowed to change the fixtures, see how many games they have played [Al Masry].”