More than a translator: Kaizer Chiefs’ Cedric Kaze hits back at social media critics
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Cedric Kaze isn't letting the "translator" labels distract him from Kaizer Chiefs' resurgence. With 18 years of experience from Burundi to Barcelona's academy, the Amakhosi co-coach is proving his worth on the pitch with four straight wins. Photo: Itumeleng English Independent Media
Image: Itumeleng English Independent Media
Kaizer Chiefs co-coach Cedric Kaze has delivered a firm response to critics questioning his credentials, rejecting claims that he is merely a “translator” turned coach at the Soweto giants.
Kaze, who currently shares the reins with Khalil Ben Youssef following the departure of Nasreddine Nabi, has come under scrutiny on social media in recent weeks before overseeing a strong run of results — including a victory over TS Galaxy on Sunday.
“You know, I know football is quite difficult and social media and everyone thinks their opinions are important, but the biggest thing is the trust we have from the club and the trust we have in ourselves,” Kaze said.
Far from the perception of being an inexperienced figure, Kaze’s coaching journey spans nearly two decades across multiple levels of the game. He began in his home country within the Burundian national structures, working his way from youth setups to the senior team between 2007 and 2015.
His development continued abroad, with stints in Canada and at a FC Barcelona Academy satellite programme, before forming a successful partnership with Nabi at Young Africans SC. That spell yielded a league title and a run to the CAF Confederation Cup final — experience that has shaped his coaching identity.
“I was born in a small country, Burundi — what are the odds that I’d be here? It means I have been in very big spaces and these (comments) don’t hurt me personally,” he explained. “I know what I am capable of, and with the trust that we have from the club, we will do everything we can to place the team where it belongs.”
Kaze’s expertise has also been recognised internationally.
During the recent Fifa international break, he was appointed technical adviser by the Football Federation of Burundi for their Africa Cup of nations 2027 preliminary qualifiers against Chad — a role that saw Burundi secure back-to-back victories.
With Chiefs now on a four-game winning streak and firmly in the race for a CAF Confederation Cup spot, Kaze appears focused on letting performances speak. For now, the message is clear — results, not rhetoric, will define his tenure.