Nabi under fire: reiterates 'transition season' remarks amid pressure

Photo Credit: Zakes Photography

As pressure mounts on Kaizer Chiefs head coach Nasreddine Nabi, he has reiterated to the media his remarks about his first season at the club.

The Tunisian was brought in with the objective of breaking a nine-year trophy drought.

Although the Nedbank Cup final on Saturday, May 10, is still a chance to end the trophy drought, Amakhosi's performance in the Betway Premiership has been disappointing.

Chiefs suffered their 12th defeat of the season on Saturday when they fell 2-1 to their bitter rivals, Orlando Pirates. They have won eight matches and drawn six, sitting in ninth place in the Betway Premiership standings.

Asked why he felt he was the right man to continue with the project, Nabi said, “Normally I wouldn’t answer that question, but today [Saturday]I will.”

“I don’t think you are the right man to decide if I’m staying or not, my role and why I am here, everyone knows this is a process, and in terms of process, we can’t be reacting or expect immediate results,” Nabi said.

“You are a professional journalist. You have information about this club. This club plays for the title, this one plays for the [CAF] Champions League, this one for whatever… I came here for the process. I said this in the first press conference: This is the transition season.

"If you are in process, you don’t tell me why you stay here – two things you are not professional, but I respect you, don’t provoke me because I’m not a young coach, I have big experience. I know what you’re asking, don’t provoke me.”

Nabi further stated that there would be a process to evaluate the season.

“You have a bad result, why do you stay here? This is not professional. Talk to me about tactics, about the football process. I’m not nervous, I respect you,” he stated.

“I tell you, my assistant, normally I don’t answer this question… I repeat, if you are a professional, you will know how to evaluate this process. We have a process for evaluation.”