Kaizer Chiefs head coach Nasreddine Nabi says it’s clear for his technical staff and the club’s management what is needed and all they ask from the supporters is patience to implement it over the course of the next few transfer windows.
Nabi, 59, arrived in South Africa with major expectations after his double domestic treble winning season at Young Africans and impressing with ASFAR in the Botola Pro in breaking several club records despite finishing second behind the invincible Raja Athletic Club side.
However, he’s found similar challenges to his predecessors with the club over a decade without silverware and currently with a squad of players that don’t particularly compliment each others’ talents or fit into the specific game model Nabi was looking to implement.
In an exclusive interview, Nabi explained why the lure of Chiefs was so strong despite offers elsewhere prior to his arrival as it was a club he admired growing up and looked at Amakhosi as a major challenge for his career.
“First, this is a challenge for myself. Before, when I was younger in Tunisia, for us Kaizer Chiefs, in Tunisia is like Juventus or AC Milan of Africa and after 20 years later, it’s a big honour for me to coach this club,” Nabi told iDiski Times.
“But it’s a challenge, I know the challenge is not easy. For this I want to explain to people, I didn’t come here not to work, I left ASFAR and before coming here, I had offers from other countries, more lucrative offers in Algeria, Tunisia, in Saudi Arabia.
“But because I gave my word to Mr Kaizer Motaung Jnr. I don’t change my mind for money. I came here for the challenge; my dream is not to help but to participate to bring Chiefs back to its ‘normal’ position in South African football.
“My whole life I have seeked for challenges. This is my challenge now, I am an honest man, not a showman, I’m not here to build my career – I want to finish my careers with a big challenge, this is a big club in a big country.”
With nine wins, four draws and 12 defeats in the 25 games this season, Chiefs are currently in eighth place. But still in contention for the Nedbank Cup and possibilities of securing CAF inter-club competitions.
While it’s potentially a target in mind for the coach and club itself, Nabi emphasised there’s a need for understanding of what is going on behind the scenes and patience thereafter.
“What do I need? I need patience. Only patience and understanding – the football and understanding the process we’re involved in,” he explained.
“If we lose, understand if we win… Not if I win two, three games – ah Chiefs are back! No the process is very hard, it needs to be taken step by step with patience and respect.
“Sometimes there’s no respect from people, maybe I understand some fans are emotional, the spent their own money to come watch us.
“But I need patience from everyone. I’m not a coach that if I see I am losing in my challenge, I would stay for money, that’s not my character, I’m not like that. But I trust myself, I have big confidence because of my experience.
“I’m not a novice – I know we are going in the right direction, I know what we need at Kaizer Chiefs. All is clear for me and for the management of this club – we need only the time to implement it.
“And in this period I ask for respect of me, my staff, no confusion, no division. We are united, don’t try and divide us. If we lose a a game, Kaizer Chiefs loses, it’s not Nabi, it’s not this coach or that player.”
Chiefs will travel to the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium this weekend to face Stellenbosch in the last-eight of the Nedbank Cup.
