Not so long ago, Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef plotted the downfall of other teams together as co-coaches at Kaizer Chiefs. But as the Premier Soccer League finally gets under way this weekend, things have changed dramatically, and they find themselves plotting each other’s demise.Kaze and Youssef have known each other and worked together for years, from when they were assistants to flamboyant coach Nasreddine Nabi at Chiefs. When they got the boot at the end of last season at Naturena, Kaze was recruited by Sekhukhune United while Youssef moved to the coast to join Durban City. As fate would have it, the fixture list pitted them against each other in their first match as head coaches, with City visiting United at Seshego Stadium in Polokwane on Saturday. Speaking at the launch of the season in Joburg on Wednesday, Kaze and Youssef shared different perspectives on their first meeting as head coaches. Youssef said there won’t be any emotions, as he will be looking to get City’s campaign off to a winning note. It is going to be an emotional one, but that shows the progression that we have made from assistant coaches to head coaches in the PSL. — Sekhukhune United coach Cedric Kaze“No emotions because this is part of our job,” said Youssef, adding the match will be about City and United and not them. “I was with Cedric at Kaizer Chiefs, and before that we were at Young Africans in Tanzania. It will be a game between Durban City and Sekhukhune United — and you win, lose or draw. “But if you win, it will not be like you have won a trophy, but it is obvious we need to start the season well. I said before that between 20 and 30% is from the coaches and the rest is from the players.” Kaze said it will be emotional because of their long relationship. “It is true that I have worked with Khalil for many years, and we are very close friends. It is going to be an emotional one, but that shows the progression that we have made from assistant coaches to head coaches in the PSL. “I am sure the game is going to be entertaining, and I am looking forward to it.” Youssef said when he left Chiefs, he was inundated with calls from PSL clubs, but he settled for City because he liked the projects of chair Farook Kadodia and the opportunity of playing in the Confederation Cup. “The other important thing is that the team is playing in the Confederation Cup. I like working for a team that is going to challenge me. “In their first season in the PSL, they won the Nedbank Cup and finished inside the top eight. There is going to be pressure this season to do better and that is one of the reasons I accepted.” Kaze said the pre-season had gone very well and they would be ready for the start of the season. “Preparation has been good; we had time to work and put some juice into the players and work on our principles and way of playing. “Sekhukhune United is a team that has been consistent over the past few seasons, and they finished in the top five for the last two seasons. “This means there are a lot of things that they have done right. We want to contribute and improve on the things that they have done right. “The main reason I didn’t change a lot of things is because they are a team that has been doing a lot of things well.” One of the few additions he has made was to rope in Papi Zothwane as assistant coach from Richards Bay, and he explains why he went for him. “I saw Papi at Richards Bay, and I know he was a good player. We want those types of figures to be in our technical set-up. We want coaches who have had success when they were players because the current ones can identify with them. “There is a respect when the message comes from him because they know he has done it before.”