Nabi's silver lining: Chiefs coach sees positives despite Top 8 miss

Nasreddine Nabi. Photo credit: Sportwire

Despite Kaizer Chiefs' disappointment in missing a top-eight finish in the 2024/25 season, coach Nasreddine Nabi remains optimistic, pinpointing an area he believes will still bring pride and joy to the Amakhosi faithful.

The dream of a top-eight finish eluded Chiefs once again, marking their second consecutive season outside the coveted spots. A frustrating goalless draw against Polokwane City FC at FNB Stadium on Saturday afternoon in their season finale left them with 32 points and cemented a provisional ninth-place finish in the league.

A victory would have been enough to lift them into the top eight, making this failure a particularly tough blow after last season’s dismal 10th-place performance—their worst in history.

The pain might not be over, as their ninth-place standing could still slip to 10th if Golden Arrows secure a win in their remaining match against SuperSport United.

While the league season was a disappointment, Nabi believes Chiefs fans can take joy in their recent cup triumph. He points to the immense pride in ending the club's lengthy trophy drought, a feat achieved by beating Orlando Pirates in the Nedbank Cup final earlier this month.

This victory not only secured a trophy but also guarantees Chiefs a spot in next season's CAF Confederation Cup.

“I would say that we knew that the season was going to be tough given the process which we are engaged in as a club,” said Nabi in his post-match press conference at FNB Stadium.

“However, everything that has been done now, there is a clear path to know what we need to do, which kind of decision we need to take, and which kind of direction we need to go through to be better next season.

“But not qualifying for the top eight is a disappointment, but that can’t undermine the efforts the players have put in and what they have achieved, which is to win the Nedbank Cup. A lot of years without winning it, and also, not every team has won a trophy this season. Our fans need to take pride in that, take joy in that.”