Does Nasreddine Nabi deserve to keep his job as Kaizer Chiefs' head coach amid a below-par debut PSL season?

There’s no doubt, football is a results-driven business, where current performance is considered to be paramount, and Nabi will be aware of this amid his team’s struggles.

The Chiefs bosses brought in the Tunisian at the beginning of the season with the view that he would improve the team’s fortunes, with the club having endured one of their worst seasons the previous term.

Apart from reaching a cup final, all signs point to a repeat of that forgettable campaign, which ultimately cost the likes of Arthur Zwane, Molefi Ntseki and Cavin Johnson their jobs.

Nabi will also do well to remember how Chiefs previously showed no mercy to Gavin Hunt due to poor league form.

This was despite the multiple PSL winner guiding them deep into the Caf Champions League with a depleted squad amid a Fifa transfer ban during his tenure.

Those in charge of making the big decisions at Naturena will not have been pleased on Saturday as they witnessed Nabi’s team squander an early lead before falling to their 12th PSL defeat.

The loss was a significant one for Nabi and his side as it saw them match last season's tally of losses in the league, which is the club's worst in the PSL era.

With two more matches remaining, it is possible that Nabi will set a new record of 13 or more losses in the league in a single season, which would more than likely signal his demise.

Chiefs’ final two matches now become just as important as their Nedbank Cup final against Pirates, as they need to beat Polokwane City and Sekhukhune United to stand any chance of finishing in the top eight.

Chiefs’ Achilles heel in the league has been their lack of conviction against teams they are expected to beat, having lost against sides like Marumo Gallants, Golden Arrows, Richards Bay, Polokwane City and SuperSport United.

However, what would have hurt the Amakhosi faithful most is their team’s inability to perform at their best when facing high-pressure, crucial situations against their biggest rivals Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns, in the league.

Although they did beat Sundowns in the Nedbank Cup, both the Brazilians and Soweto rivals Pirates managed to do the double over Chiefs in the PSL, with the Glamour Boys losing a whopping 12 points to their two main rivals this season alone.

As far as stats are concerned, Nabi is currently among the worst coaches Chiefs have had in recent seasons, and that would suggest he could well be on his way should things not change in the last three matches of the season.

However, it is worth noting that the Tunisian has not completely lost the full backing of his bosses, players and certain sections of the supporters just yet despite results not going his way.

The club has previously come out to support and give full backing to Nabi, indicating that they still believe he has what it takes to turn their fortunes around this season.

However, a few more defeats could force their hand as Chiefs could hardly afford another finish outside the top eight and yet another campaign without silverware at the end.

It is increasingly beginning to feel like Chiefs’ entire season and Nabi’s future at the club now hinge on the results of the Nedbank Cup final on Saturday against Pirates at Moses Mabhida Stadium.

As Jose Riveiro will be hoping to sign off with yet another trophy, Nabi will be desperate to salvage his season, and potentially save his job, by winning the only piece of silverware his team are still alive in.

There’s no doubt that ending Amakhosi’s lengthy trophy drought would make up for the poor PSL season, even if Nabi’s side goes on to finish outside the top eight.

The ex-FAR Rabat mentor will be looking to buy himself more time at the helm and start the next season on a clean slate.

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