Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi remains unfazed by the criticism directed at him following the club’s inconsistent results since taking over at the start of the season.
The Tunisian tactician garnered recognition during his successful spell at Young Africans SC leading them to back-to-back Tanzanian Premier League trophies before he moved to take over as head coach of AS FAR Rabat in Morocco during the 2023-24 season.
Nabi’s impressive showing continued in the Botola Pro League where he missed out on the league trophy by finishing a point behind Raja Casablanca.
He was roped in to rescue Amakhosi following a disastrous 2023/24 season which saw them finishing tenth with 36 points under the guidance of Cavin Johnson.
However, Nabi’s start at Chiefs has been challenging. The team suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns in the quarterfinals of the Carling Knockout Cup and has managed six wins, three draws, and five losses in 14 matches across all competitions under his guidance.
Amakhosi’s inconsistent performances have sparked criticism, with many fans questioning whether Nabi is the right person to end the club’s decade-long trophy drought. Despite the pressure, the 59-year-old remains optimistic, believing he can turn things around and fulfil his objectives with the club.
“Criticism is part of football, even when you get criticized today but tomorrow, they will make you a hero if you win or you do something very good, that’s why you need to accept everything. I have worked in big clubs and I am well aware of the pressure and everything that comes with such teams with big fan bases, but my job is to assess and work towards the objective of the club,” said Nabi
The pressure eased off the former AS FAR Rabat coach following the resounding 2-1 win against Stellenbosch FC on Wednesday evening. This was preceded by a 1-0 loss against Cape Town City on Sunday.
“We believe that our supporters have the right to be frustrated when the results are not there but we have to understand as well and be careful that sometimes we might think that it’s our fans or our supporters but sometimes it’s the agendas of other people that don’t want the process to continue to succeed or the club to succeed.” He concluded.
Chiefs will look to continue on the winning lane when they host ninth-place Lamontville Golden Arrows who have also experienced an unpleasant start to the new season at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Sunday kicking off at 15:30.
Arrows are heading to this match with redemption on their mind having suffered a 1-0 defeat in their last meeting. They will also be looking to end a three-match winless run.