Ahead of their highly anticipated clash with Orlando Pirates in the Soweto Derby, Marumo Gallants head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has voiced his support for Kaizer Chiefs’ embattled manager Nasreddine Nabi.
Ouaddou, who has overseen a recent revival at Gallants, believes the Tunisian coach needs time and backing to fully implement his philosophy in the Betway Premiership, calling for patience from fans and club officials alike.
Nabi’s tough maiden campaign with Amakhosi hit another stumbling block on Saturday, as Chiefs slipped to a 2-1 home defeat against Gallants at FNB Stadium — a result that pushed them down to ninth in the standings.
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The hosts struck early through Makabi Lilepo, who found the net in the 10th minute. However, Gallants responded with determination, as Matome Mathiane equalised just before halftime, and Daniel Msendami sealed the comeback with a 70th-minute winner.
Despite their poor run, Ouaddou offered a show of respect and empathy for his counterpart, highlighting Nabi’s pedigree and previous success. Speaking to SuperSport after the match, the Moroccan coach said:
“I know tonight is a very difficult night for my colleague, Nabi.
“I know that he’s a very big name, a very big coach in Africa. He achieved great things in Morocco and in Morocco they love him.
“I think in football it’s about projects, sometimes you need time to settle your ideas, your game model. I believe he’s one of the best coaches in Africa.”
Ouaddou himself has made a strong impact in a short period at Gallants, steering the club from relegation danger to 10th on the table — level on 30 points with Chiefs but behind on goal difference.
As the season nears its conclusion, both sides will be looking to finish strongly, though the pressure remains firmly on Nabi to turn things around.
It will be a challenging start to May for Nasreddine Nabi & Co as his Kaizer Chiefs outfit look destined to finish outside the top half of the South African topflight for a second successive season.
To compile issues, their next opponents are an Orlando Pirates outfit who were left licking their wounds after crashing out of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League semi-final against Pyramids FC.
The Soweto Derby will take center stage this weekend, with Chiefs and Pirates set to clash at the FNB Stadium. Kick off in Johannesburg is set for 15h00 on Saturday, 03 May 2025.