Kaizer Chiefs new coach Nasreddine Nabi (right) with his second assistant Fernando Da Cruz during the team’s training session at their base, the Taung Village in Naturena. Photo: Kaizer Chiefs on X
NASREDDINE Nabi and Kaizer Chiefs are a match made in heaven. Those are the sentiments of Bafana Bafana’s coach Hugo Broos who wants Chiefs to succeed this season.
Once regarded as the ‘Cup Kings of SA football’, Chiefs have defied that tag in the past nine years, having endured a trophy-less run.
However, Amakhosi are pulling out all stops to end the barren run this season, including roping in the revered Nabi as the new coach on a two-year deal.
Having won trophies, including two titles with Young Africans, Nabi is expected to hit the ground running at the club, win trophies and infuse a clear style of play.
Chiefs have blown hot and cold during pre-season, though. They won friendlies during their tour of Türkiye, while they’ve been underwhelming at home.
They lost 4-0 to Young Africans in the Toyota Cup in Bloemfontein, before losing 3-0 to TS Galaxy in their latest friendly.
Those losses have seen some fans cast doubt over Nabi’s tenure at the club, especially ahead of the team’s opener in the Betway Premiership away to Marumo Gallants next Saturday.
However, speaking of his encounter with Nabi in the past few weeks, Broos said the Tunisian has what it takes to succeed at Chiefs.
“I spoke to him because when I came back from Belgium, I did not know that he was living in the same building that I live in,” said Broos.
“Someone from Chiefs came to me and said ‘coach, someone wants to speak to you’. I was sitting there drinking coffee and so I spoke with him, and he is a very good coach.”
Despite bringing to the club four of his trusted lieutenants, Nabi is not naïve to think that only a strong technical team will change the club’s fortunes.
The 59-year-old has forced Chiefs to break the bank and sign quality players. So far, they’ve roped in Gaston Sirino, Rushwin Dortley, Bongani Sam, Fiacre Ntwari and Inacio Miguel.
The acquisition of these five players proves how Nabi has the club’s management eating out of the palm of his hand, something that might have not happened with a local-born coach.
“I think you will see what is happening at Chiefs, it is a different thing now,” said the 72-year-old Bafana tactician.
“He wants what he wants and maybe it is a little bit easier for him to achieve that at Chiefs because it is not easy to be a Chiefs coach.
“It is not easy for a local coach to slam on the table and say ‘no, I want that’. I’ve said before that it is not normal for a team like Chiefs to finish seventh or eighth, it is not good for SA football.
“I hope that Chiefs are there next season, and will fight with Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns, Stellenbosch and SuperSport United for the title.”
Dortley is a big acquisition for Chiefs, especially given that he’s their only representative in the final Bafana squad for the Afcon qualifiers at home to Uganda on Friday and away to South Sudan next Tuesday.
“First of all, he’s a left-footed central defender. Since I arrived, I don’t think I have had a left-footed central defender,” said Broos of the former Cape Town Spurs man.
“So, we looked for him and we didn’t find it. Also, with Cosafa, we saw him last year, but things weren’t going well at Spurs.
“So, we hoped that Spurs would release him for Cosafa. And yeah, he was released. So, we were convinced that it’s maybe the right moment now to take him to Bafana.”
It doesn’t seem Chiefs are done in the transfer market as they are reportedly vying for the services of Stellenbosch’s left-back Fawaaz Basadien, who’s also in the Bafana set-up.
And with Basadien being an important player for Stellies, recently leading the side to the MTN8 final in which they’ll face Orlando Pirates on October 5, Broos has advised him to stay put at the club.
“When you see the level of Stellenbosch, I hope they’ll qualify for the Confederation Cup group stage,” Broos said.
“But I don’t think it would be a good move for Basadien to go to Chiefs. I don’t know. Okay, it’s Chiefs, and I think it’s very difficult for a player to turn down the offer.”