Kaizer Chiefs’ Nabi hits back at pre-season criticism

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Nasreddine Nabi remains calm despite his side’s underwhelming pre-season campaign, insisting that friendly matches are strictly for preparation and not a cause for panic.

Amakhosi lost 3-2 on penalties to Ghanaian giants Asante Kotoko in the second edition of the Toyota Cup on Saturday at Moses Mabhida Stadium — a result that left many questioning the Soweto giants’ readiness for the new season.

Chiefs have won just once in six pre-season outings, a run that includes a tough four-game tour of The Netherlands. But ahead of their Betway Premiership opener against Stellenbosch FC on August 10, Nabi maintains the results are irrelevant at this stage.

“We are in pre-season, and the objectives of this pre-season are detailed and pre-determined,” Nabi said when asked about the worrying results.

“The objective of this game is not the result. I understand why you are asking the question, but the objective of this friendly was not the result on the scoreboard.”

Another concern for Amakhosi fans is the team’s poor goal return. In six matches, Chiefs have only found the net three times — an issue that’s prompted concerns about the effectiveness of their attacking setup heading into the new campaign.

This has been a cloud that has hovered over Chiefs since last season having been in the top three of highest chances created in the league but failed to make them count. But the Tunisian coach was quick to put things into context, particularly when reflecting on their European tour.

“In The Netherlands, we weren’t given much time between the games, and we also played against four clubs from that country’s premier division,” he said. “This is pre-season, so we are still finding our way and preparing for the season, and results after 90 minutes do not matter for now.”

The former Young Africans mentor believes the team is showing clear signs of growth, especially when compared to last year’s squad that also took part in the Toyota Cup — a fixture Chiefs are using to reintroduce themselves to continental-style opponents ahead of their CAF return.

“This is the second Toyota Cup we have participated in, and compared to last year’s match against Young Africans, our team has improved a lot,” said Nabi.

“There may be a few areas of weakness and where we need to work on, but there has been progress. Of course, we would have loved to win this friendly, but I believe we are heading in the right direction.”

Nabi has now used the bulk of his squad over the pre-season and feels that while some issues still need ironing out, the foundation has been laid for a competitive 2025/26 campaign.

The Toyota Cup once again served its purpose — not just as a test against continental competition, but as a platform to give Nabi a clearer sense of the tools at his disposal. And with the real business kicking off against Stellies, Chiefs will be hoping that preparation now translates into performance.