Amid calls from some Kaizer Chiefs supporters for him to go, coach Nasreddine Nabi insists he is staying put and will not consider quitting even if Amakhosi lose against Mamelodi Sundowns this evening.
Chiefs visit Sundowns at Loftus in the Nedbank Cup semifinal, in what is their last gasp chance to arrest a decade-long spell bereft of silverware.
Asked whether he deserved another season after a poor start eight months into his two-year tenure, the Tunisian told the Sunday Times “it’s not (for) me to decide”.
Quarterfinal home defeat
This will be Nabi’s fourth meeting against Sundowns. He’s already lost both rounds in the Betway Premiership, 2-1 and 1-0, home and away, plus the 4-0 Carling Knockout Cup quarterfinal home defeat.
“You asked if I would stay next season, but I have to answer that my contract is two seasons here,” a relaxed Nabi said.
The difference between me and how the other people think, me... I think process; and you (media and fans) think results.
— Nasreddine Nabi, Kaizer Chiefs coach
“The difference between me and how the other people think, me... I think process; and you (media and fans) think results.”
Stats show that Chiefs are one of the attacking teams. , But conceding a whopping 29 goals — just behind AmaZulu (32) and Marumo Gallants (35) among those with the leakiest defences — Nabi has his work cut out to fix the rearguard.
“You want me to stay or go?” Nabi asks me again, but I reply that it’s not my decision. “It’s not my decision (either),” he responds with a giggle as I push him to say if he deserves another season at Chiefs given the poor spell he’s enduring.
Chiefs fans clamoured for the club to hire a high profile coach and they chose Nabi, consecutive treble winner with Tanzania’s Young Africans, who also finished second with AS FAR Rabat in Morocco last season.
“With respect, it’s a correct question. I’m not here to say I deserve or don’t deserve. We analyse the situation with the board, and they see every training session. They see every meeting before the game and after the game. They know what we’re doing.
“If they say we don’t deserve to stay next season, we’ll go. If they say I deserve to stay, I will stay. But me, I’m here working; and I have a contract, and I have a process, and I have an objective in my process. I trust my process and so I have to continue to work.”
The poor results have caused consternation, with many Amakhosi fans questioning Nabi’s uninspiring stint — they lost twice to Sundowns, SuperSport United and Golden Arrows in the league and are in eighth spot, 26 points behind leaders Sundowns.
Chiefs have also lost to Cape Town City, Polokwane City, Richards Bay and Orlando Pirates, who meet them in the Soweto derby on May 3.
Nabi insists if people think only about the bad results and not look at what he’s been doing, including signing new players in an attempt to boost the squad, the discussion will go nowhere.
Chiefs have signed nine players since Nabi’s arrival: Thabo Cele, Tashreeq Morris and Glodly Lelipo arrived in January, adding to Bradley Cross, Miguel Inacio, Rushwin Dortley, Gaston Siriono, Fiacre Ntwaria and Bongani Sam, who were all signed before the season began.
Pirates will host Gallants in the earlier semifinal in Orlando this afternoon. The Buccaneers are bidding to do what they managed in 1973, 1974 and 1975 when they won this cup three times in a row.
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