Nabi-Chiefs impasse drags on with no end in sight

Kaizer Chiefs face continued turmoil as the situation with suspended head coach Nasreddine Nabi remains unresolved. The Tunisian coach’s recent offer to return to the club was reportedly met with a “cold shoulder” by the Amakhosi hierarchy, as per reports.

Chiefs are set to play their third consecutive match without Nabi this Saturday when they host Angola’s Kabuscorp at FNB Stadium in a crucial preliminary CAF Confederation Cup eliminator, needing to overturn a 0-1 first-leg deficit.

Nabi’s suspension was initially triggered when the club discovered he did not possess a valid coaching licence required to sit on the bench for CAF fixtures—the reason he did not travel to Angola last weekend.

Nabi’s Offer to Return Rejected

SowetanLive reported that after the initial suspension threat, Nabi first offered to walk away. Surprisingly, his representatives later informed the club that the coach wished to rescind that offer and see out the remainder of his contract, which runs until June.

However, the Chiefs management reportedly considers the relationship beyond repair. Despite this sentiment, formal discussions to agree on a termination have not yet taken place. Nabi has effectively been sidelined since Chiefs’ 1-3 loss to Sekhukhune United on September 16.

The next expected step to resolve the stalemate is a formal disciplinary hearing regarding the coach’s qualifications. This hearing could potentially lead to his outright dismissal, as Nabi had previously been warned to ensure his papers were in order.

Performance Woes at Kaizer Chiefs Worsen Turmoil

The club’s form under assistant coaches Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef has not helped management’s position. Chiefs are winless in three matches and must score at least two goals without conceding on Saturday to advance in the Confederation Cup.

The prospect of an early exit from the continental competition could complicate matters for the club, as “He won’t be needing that licence if that’s the case,” a source noted. Forcing Nabi out now could be viewed as a planning failure, given that he oversaw pre-season and new signings before the project unraveled so early in the season.

Following the 1-1 draw with Marumo Gallants on Wednesday in the league, assistant oasch Ben Youssef commented on the importance of the upcoming match: “It is a very important game on Saturday, with high hopes to qualify for the next round.”

He emphasized patience, adding, “Last three games, we didn’t win, but the most important thing for us is the performance, then the result, because if we have good performances, the results will come.”

Chiefs’ debutant and new recruit, Khanyisa Mayo, provided a silver lining by scoring his first goal against Gallants. Youssef is optimistic about the striker’s future, stating, “We need more from Mayo, because we know his quality and what he can do for the team.”

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