The experienced coach took charge of Amakhosi for two spells, between 2005 and 2007 and from 2018 to 2020.

In his second stint, Middendorp led his team to second place on the Premiership standings, missing out on the title on the last day of the season to Mamelodi Sundowns.

Last term the Soweto giants ended ten years of hurt by winning the Nedbank Cup with victory over rivals Orlando Pirates under former head coach Nasreddine Nabi.

Current co-coaches Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef have come under criticism this season after exiting the CAF Confederation Cup, Carling Knockout Cup and Nedbank Cup, alongside their recent run of league form that saw the club drop from third to fifth.

Middendorp posted on LinkedIN: "Anyone who wants to coach this team must understand the magnitude of the Naturena environment.

"The club carries enormous history, a massive supporter base across the country, constant media attention, and permanent pressure for results. Every decision is discussed publicly, every weakness is quickly and totally exposed.

"To operate in such an environment, a coach needs real expertise, emotional resilience, strong leadership, and an unbeatable confidence. He must have the ability to remain calm under pressure, show conviction in his work, and make decisions with authority. A certain stubbornness in a positive sense is evident, the courage to stand by your football ideas when the noise around the team becomes overwhelming.

"One of the key responsibilities of the coach is to identify the real capacity of each player. What can they truly deliver? What are their strengths, limitations, and consistency levels? Only when this assessment is done honestly can the coach build the most suitable structure and tactical set-up for the team.

"This means coaching is not about following dreams, wishes, or public expectations. It is about working with reality. The team structure must come from the individual capacities of the players available, not from theoretical ideas that do not match the squad.

"Even innovative concepts can emerge from this process. In certain situations, a "helicopter concept" or other unconventional structures may develop simply because the coach has carefully analysed the players and tries to organise them in a way that maximises their strengths and protects their weaknesses.

“At a club like Kaizer Chiefs, coaching leadership means clear assessment, courage in decision-making, and building a structure that reflects the real capacity of the squad, not an illusion of what people would like to see.”

Steve Barker in awe of current Stellenbosch squad