Katsande urges Chiefs coach Ben Youssef to stop complaining about schedule

Kaizer Chiefs legend Willard Katsande has urged the club’s co-coach Khalil Ben Youssef to stop complaining about factors beyond his control.

Katsande’s comment comes after Ben Youssef this week fired a broadside at the Premier Soccer League (PSL) for Chiefs’ congested fixture schedule, which has seen them play six matches in three competitions since the domestic programme resumed on January 19.

After Sunday’s 2-1 Caf Confederation Cup victory over Egyptian side Al Masry at Peter Mokaba Stadium, Ben Youssef suggested the PSL is treating Chiefs unfairly amid their participation in the Confederation Cup and questioned why the league has hardly postponed any of their domestic fixtures to accommodate their continental campaign.

“The fixture programme is tight for everyone,” Katsande told Sowetan.

“Football players are paid to play matches. They are people who wake up at 4am to go to work and return home at night, and they never complain because it’s their job.

“Do what you have to do, control what you have to control and try not to focus on what you can’t control. That would be my advice to Chiefs as I strongly believe we can go all the way in the league and in the Caf [Confed Cup].”

Ben Youssef bemoaned that some teams who are not participating in Caf tournaments had games in hand, while Amakhosi had played all their scheduled domestic fixtures so far.

While he did not mention any names, it sounded as though the Chiefs co-coach was taking a swipe at their arch-rivals, Orlando Pirates, who were a few games behind late last month, despite not playing continental football after they were eliminated by Saint-Éloi Lupopo in the Caf Champions League in October.

Pirates, who saw their league fixtures against Magesi, AmaZulu and Mamelodi Sundowns being postponed, have since caught up all their backlogged league matches.

The Buccaneers were originally billed to host Magesi on September 17, but the game was postponed to January 31, when Pirates won 2-0 at home. That game was postponed because Bucs were to face FC Lioli of Lesotho in the Champions League three days later at Free State Stadium.

The same fixture forced Pirates’ league game against Usuthu, initially scheduled for September 20, to be postponed. This game was only played last Tuesday, with Bucs winning 2-0 in Durban.

Pirates were also originally meant to face Mamelodi Sundowns on January 31, but the Brazilians’ Champions League commitment saw the fixture get a new date of February 18. Sundowns also had their game against Sekhukhune, originally billed for October last year, postponed to January 27, when they won 2-1.

To the PSL’s credit, Chiefs’ league game against Siwelele, initially scheduled for February 18, has been postponed because of Amakhosi’s travel challenges from their final Confed Cup game against Zamalek at Cairo International Stadium this Sunday.

Sowetan