Kaizer Chiefs are unbeaten in the Betway Premiership. According to club legend Brian Baloyi, that is exactly the problem — because unbeaten has come at the cost of everything Amakhosi are supposed to stand for.
What Baloyi Said
The former Chiefs goalkeeper was blunt about Fernando da Cruz’s approach, arguing the defensive setup reveals a coach who does not trust his squad:
“Clearly, he doesn’t really believe in his players. He doesn’t really believe in the team.”
He went further on what the tactics communicate:
“It looks like we are playing not to lose. We’re not playing to win.”
The Tactical Complaint
Da Cruz has deployed a three-man defence with multiple defensive midfielders. Baloyi singled out the use of three defensive midfielders in particular, arguing it contradicts how Kaizer Chiefs should operate and stifles the expression that has always defined the club’s football.
It is a criticism rooted in identity as much as results. Amakhosi supporters have historically tolerated losing more readily than they have tolerated dullness.
The Numbers Behind the Debate
- League record under Da Cruz: three wins, three draws, no defeats
- League position: fourth with 12 points from six matches
- Clean sheets: one in seven matches across all competitions
- Points behind leaders: eight adrift of Mamelodi Sundowns
The criticism followed the 1–1 draw with Polokwane City, in which Chiefs led, controlled long stretches, and still dropped two points to a corner that squeezed past Brandon Petersen.
The Counter-Argument
There is a case for Da Cruz. Unbeaten after six matches is a foundation, and a club that has spent years in turmoil might reasonably value stability first and flair second. Three draws in six is not a crisis — it is a side that has not yet learned to convert control into victories.
The question is whether that conversion arrives before the gap to Sundowns becomes unbridgeable.
Betting Insights
- Draw markets: Three draws in six under a defensive system. The X remains one of the more reliable Chiefs plays.
- Under-goals: A back three and multiple holding midfielders point squarely at under 2.5 goals in Chiefs fixtures.
- Clean sheets: Only one in seven — the defensive setup is not actually producing shut-outs, which matters when pricing those markets.
- Low-scoring correct scores: 1–1 and 1–0 have been recurring Amakhosi scorelines this season.
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Final Word
Baloyi’s criticism will resonate with a fanbase raised on attacking football, and the clean-sheet statistic gives it teeth — a defensive system that is not keeping clean sheets is the worst of both worlds. But Da Cruz has not lost a league match. He will argue, reasonably, that the foundation comes first.
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Sources
- Afrik-Foot — “Kaizer Chiefs legend slams Da Cruz’s tactics – ‘We are playing not to lose'”
- Briefly — “Kaizer Chiefs’ unbeaten run comes with a warning from an ex-star”
- KickOff — “Da Cruz blasts Chiefs squad over ‘killer’ instinct”
- Goal.com South Africa — “Fernando da Cruz shares his assessment of Kaizer Chiefs after MTN8 loss”
- Briefly — “Kaizer Chiefs criticised for repeating ‘same mistakes’ in pursuit of coach”
- Afrik-Foot — “‘It’s time he smells the bench’ – Baloyi fed up with blundering Kaizer Chiefs star”
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