Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi has outlined three main factors contributing to the team’s recent struggles.
Tasked with rebuilding the squad and restoring its former glory at the start of the season, Nabi initially oversaw a positive start. However, the team’s form has dipped, leading to inconsistent performances.
Nabi attributes these challenges partly to the team’s reliance on young players, acknowledging that inconsistency is a natural part of their development.
Inconsistent Young Players:
“I feel that at the beginning of the league, the quality was better than, let’s say, the last two or three games,” said Nabi.
“But this has an explanation. There are [three] factors. The first one is when you play a lot of young players, the inconsistency of the performance is normal.”
Impact of Injuries:
Injuries have also played a significant role in hindering the team’s progress. “We have been having a lot of injuries that have been impacting our performance on the field and as well impacting the results, which brought so much pressure on the team, on the coach from outside.” said the Tunisian tactician. The current injury list has several key first team players including the likes of Edson Castillo, Teboho Potsane, Dillan Solomons, Bradley Cross, and high-profile Summer signing Gaston Sirino.
Media and Fan Pressure:
Nabi believes the combination of injuries and inconsistent performances has created considerable pressure from the media and fans. “All that pressure impacts our players as well, which sometimes, that’s what we said before, they play with the handbrake and with the fear to not lose. Not the fear to score more, but the fear to not lose,” he explained.