Sack or Keep? Kaizer Chiefs have big decision to make regarding coach Nasreddine Nabi after disappointing PSL finish

There have been reports that Chiefs could show the Tunisian the door, despite the coach ending the club's decade-long trophy drought by winning the Nedbank Cup.

With the club in a poor position in the league, speculation about Nabi’s future has been rife in recent weeks, regardless of the cup win.

Chiefs could well look for a new coach after the former Young Africans coach struggled in his debut campaign in the PSL.

“Coach has got another season after this with us now,” Kaizer Chiefs sporting director Kaizer Motaung Jr said when speaking to 5fm’s Xoli Zondo.

“At the same time, like we do after every season, we sit down and review. We know that the results in the league have been inconsistent. We know we’ve just been able to achieve a record milestone.

"With everything else, we’re moving forward in our planning, and we want to savour this moment, view this moment in a massive way moving forward," he added.

“Galvanise the supporters, galvanise the technical team, the players, the staff for the mission ahead. So, we’re just planning for the future.”

With the club finishing in a poor position in the  PSL, a kind of finish that proved to be detrimental to the likes of Arthur Zwane and Cavin Johnson’s tenures at the club, it is possible that Nabi might suffer the same fate. 

Even if Nabi has stressed that the 2024-25 campaign is for rebuilding, many argue that apart from their cup trophy, Amakhosi have not shown enough signs of progress under the coach and his expensive technical staff.

Chiefs were risking their worst-ever finish after they ended the campaign ninth, with 32 points from 28 matches, one place better than last season’s tenth-place finish.

Based on Chiefs coach Nabi’s recent comments, he is hoping that he and his technical team will work with a much smaller group next term, should they stay another season.

The Soweto giants could very well reclaim their glory days in South African football if they manage to make some crucial additions to their teams next season.

The Glamour Boys will need some big-name arrivals in the upcoming transfer window if they are to compete, adding to the likes of Gaston Sirino, Inacio Miguel, Thabo Cele, Glody Lilepo and more.

There are players who have been at the club for several years without contributing much to the team, and their days could be numbered in Naturena under Nabi.

The Soweto giants do not have many options available should they decide to part company with Nabi, with most of the top coaches already committed.

Amakhosi are able to get any coach they wish, of course, but it won’t be easy. The only available options, currently, are the jobless Pitso Mosimane and Rhulani Mokwena.

But Amakhosi may well feel that they are better off backing their current coach, Nabi, and giving him all the necessary resources to continue his “process”.

PSL

Kaizer Chiefs

Orlando Pirates