Khalil Ben Youssef urges calm as Kaizer Chiefs’ title talk grows

Khalil Ben Youssef has downplayed Kaizer Chiefs’ title talks, saying they have to crawl and walk before they can run. That’s why they remain focused on the “steps,” not the final product.

The Amakhosi have had a decent start to the season – they sit fifth on the Betway Premiership standings with 23 points and five behind leaders and arch-rivals Orlando Pirates.

Their stats could have been even better had they not been their own worst enemies at times, dropping points they could have collected with ease. They were also held to a goalless draw by Chippa United on Wednesday, despite creating chances and dominating possession.

Nevertheless, the points they have collected and the impressive performances they’ve put on have convinced some supporters that the team could mount a serious title challenge if they remain consistent in the second half of the season.

Ben Youssef, however, continues to temper fans' expectations. The Moroccan, who is steering the ship alongside Cedric Kaze, reminded Chiefs supporters that they are not yet the finished product capable of competing with well-oiled machines like Pirates and champions Mamelodi Sundowns.

His reasoning stems from the fact that the “process” built under departed head coach Nasreddine Nabi has had to be reevaluated this season, while the team has also suffered several injuries, forcing constant changes to the lineup.

“We don’t have to put a lot of pressure on ourselves because we are now performing well in the PSL, and people are starting to discuss the trophy and everything,” Ben Youssef said. “We didn’t promise a trophy.

“It’s true that we are a big team, and every time we play, we play for trophies. But we have to be realistic and logical about how we think. Like I said about CAF competitions, we can’t be out of the competition for a while and come back thinking about winning it.

“Last season, we finished No 9, so this season, we have to try and finish in the top four. If we have an opportunity to win a trophy, we’ll fight for it. But we have to start building step by step.”

Chiefs began rebuilding after Nabi’s departure. They remain within touching distance of Pirates and reached the CAF Confederation Cup group stage, though they have only amassed one point so far after losing to Al Masry and drawing with Zamalek.

Be that as it may, Ben Youssef struggles to fully describe the kind of year they’ve had — even though they ended the club’s 10-year trophy drought by winning the Nedbank Cup. He reiterated that it’s still about fitting the missing pieces into the puzzle.

“I think it’s difficult to give a rating,” Ben Youssef said. “I think we did very well in the Nedbank Cup. I think the finish in the league wasn’t good — we didn’t even qualify for the MTN8.

“I think we started well in the league — with a lot of points. So, compared to last season, we are moving in the right direction. In continental football, we hadn’t reached the group stage in the past six years, and now we have.

“We are taking it game by game. Maybe we’ll talk a lot about recruitment, but we have to know that we’ve played all the games with 90% of last season’s squad. We continue to work and fight. It’s not easy — it’s a process. We have to believe in ourselves.”

Chiefs’ process this year will end on Sunday when they face TS Galaxy in a league match at Mbombela Stadium (3.30pm kick-off).

This is a match they will have to win at all costs to give their fans a Christmas and New Year present. Ben Youssef also revealed what their strikers need to do to find their scoring boots after firing blanks in Gqeberha.

“All our strikers were on the pitch — they did all they could to create opportunities to score,” continued Ben Youssef after the draw with Chippa.

“We have to be more focused in the final third regarding the technical choices. Then, we’ll be able to score the goals.”