Kaizer Chiefs head coach Nasreddine Nabi has publicly expressed his satisfaction with the club’s new midfielder, Siphesihle Ndlovu, despite the player missing a significant portion of their pre-season preparations.
Ndlovu, who recently made the switch to the Glamour Boys from SuperSport United, faced an unexpected hurdle as delays in securing a Dutch visa prevented him from travelling with the squad for their European tour.
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This meant the 27-year-old was unable to feature in any of the five pre-season matches played abroad. However, Nabi was quick to praise Ndlovu’s commitment and the valuable work he put in behind the scenes to maintain his fitness and readiness.
Speaking after Chiefs’ penalty shootout defeat to Asante Kotoko in the Toyota Cup at Moses Mabhida Stadium, Nabi shed light on how the technical team ensured Ndlovu remained in top condition despite his travel limitations.
“It is true that Ndlovu was not part of the squad due to the timeline to get the visa,” Nabi explained. “But we took the opportunity to work with him here. He trained under Majdi [Safi], and the work done was of a very high standard.”
While Ndlovu missed out on crucial friendly match exposure in Europe, he made his unofficial debut for Chiefs in the goalless draw against the Ghanaian giants, a testament to the effectiveness of his individual training regimen.
“Unfortunately, it was without friendly games because it wasn’t possible,” Nabi added, acknowledging the setback but concluding with a positive assessment: “But we feel it was a job well done.”
Ndlovu is one of six new faces confirmed by Chiefs ahead of the 2025/26 season, joining the likes of Flavio Silva, Ethan Chislett, Nkanyiso Shinga, Paseka Mako, and Thabiso Monyane.
As Nabi aims to construct a competitive squad capable of challenging for silverware across all competitions, Ndlovu’s professionalism and unwavering commitment have clearly left a strong early impression at Naturena.