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Nasreddine Nabi, Kaizer ChiefsBackpage
Seth Willis

Kaizer Chiefs management applauded for parting ways with Nasreddine Nabi as 'the season he had was a disaster' but warned more is needed to take Amakhosi to the top

The 60-year-old had both good and bad moments with the Glamour Boys during his slightly more than a year in charge. He broke their decade-long trophy drought but the Soweto giants league performances left a lot to be desired. And now, while the Amakhosi management has been commended for the brave decision they made in parting ways with the Tunisian, the club handlers have also been warned that more is needed for them to deliver consistently at the highest level.

  • Nasreddine Nabi, Kaizer ChiefsKaizer Chiefs

    From Chiefs' darling to sacking

    Nasreddine Nabi came to Kaizer Chiefs, promising to end their misery, having struggled to get back to the top of South African football.

    In his debut season, the former AS FAR Rabat coach helped Amakhosi win the Nedbank Cup, their first major title in a decade.

    However, things were not impressive in the Premier Soccer League, where they finished ninth on the table and missed out on the MTN8 for the second year in a row.

    This season - in his absence, the club won four league games consecutively; upon his return, they drew 0-0 with the defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns before falling 3-1 against Sekhukhune United.

    The defeat to Babina Noko led to Nabi's suspension and eventual dismissal. 

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  • Khalil Ben Youssef and Cedric Kaze, Kaizer ChiefsBackpage

    Chiefs confirm Kaze and Ben Youssef to steer Amakhosi forward

    Chiefs promoted Nabi's assistants Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef at least until the end of the season.

    The duo has a massive task of ensuring the Glamour Boys deliver in domestic competitions and CAF Confederation Cup.

    According to the former club's coach, Farouk Khan, the two coaches can be given the benefit of doubt, but the management has to work harder to restore the club's culture.

  • Farouk Khan July 2020Backpagepix

    It was good to let Nabi go but the club's culture must be reinstated

    "We still don't know the reason he was let go; there's been a lot of speculation. The season he had was a disaster," the former Amakhosi tactician said as quoted by KickOff.

    "Despite winning the Nedbank Cup, not finishing in the top eight was simply not enough for Kaizer Chiefs.

    "In some ways, I can't blame the team for parting ways with the coach. As for promoting his two assistants, perhaps the club believes it could work, but only time will tell," Khan continued.

    "Kaizer Chiefs needs to reinvent their football culture. Many people are looking at the symptoms by focusing on the coaches and players being brought in, but what is truly needed is for the team to revisit its football culture.

    "When I was coaching at Chiefs with Muhsin Ertugral, we understood the club's football culture very well. 

    "Football culture isn't just about playing attractive football; it's about the entire approach," he concluded.

  • What comes next?

    Chiefs were recently eliminated from the Carling Knockout after falling to Stellenbosch in the shootout.

    However, they have a chance to push for the top positions in the PSL and give their best to defend the Nedbank Cup.

    Nevertheless, the main focus will be on the Democratic Republic of Congo on Saturday, where they will play AS Simba in the first leg of the second preliminary round of the CAF Confederation Cup.