Ben Youssef humbled by Ertuğral and Middendorp’s backing but the board has the final say

Ben Youssef and his fellow co-coach Cedric Kaze arrived at Amakhosi with Nasreddine Nabi, who parted ways with the club earlier in the season, and their contracts expire at the end of the season. Chiefs' current form, unbeaten in the last six matches with five straight wins before last week’s game, necessitates this talk. But Ben Youssef knows, it’s all up to the clubs’ hierarchy at the Village in Naturena.

"To say thank you to him, thank you to everyone who trusts us and gives us the chance to continue to lead the team. I think it's not easy to give us this opportunity," said Ben Youssef.

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"There has been a lot of criticism directed at us, and our response has always been to work and continue to believe. We are professional coaches; we are contracted, and we have to continue until the last day of the season. Then the board will decide."

Looking back at their 3-0 loss in the first Soweto Derby, which was played in February, Ben Youssef says the moment was just not right, something he feels is totally different now, heading into the big clash against arch-rivals Orlando Pirates at FNB Stadium on an unusual Sunday.

Ben Youssef is also happy with the headache that he has, having to choose which attackers to start with, with most of his front-line players having deserved their scoring boots.

Ever since Ben Youssef arrived in South Africa, he’s never been on the winning side in the Soweto Derby in the league, they only won this titanic clash in the Nedbank Cup final last season.  He hails from Tunisia, where the historic rivalry between Esperance de Tunis and Club Africain carries similar prestige.