After reports suggested Kaizer Chiefs head coach Nasreddine Nabi’s future could hinge on the Nedbank Cup, there were whispers of him being on his way out had he lost the semi-final match against Mamelodi Sundowns last Sunday.
Despite that, the Siya crew had also reported how Amakhosi management was divided on what should be done with Nabi, whether he should be given until the end of the season or not, to prove himself further.
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Soccer Laduma reported how football manager Bobby Motaung hinted that Nabi’s position was secure regardless of the outcome against the Brazilians.
Nevertheless, not all members of management would have shared the same sentiment as Bobby Motaung and if Chiefs lost, the pressure would have significantly increased on the Tunisian for the remainder of the PSL campaign.
Now that Chiefs have reached the Nedbank Cup final by beating Sundowns 2-1, the question arises: Is Nabi already safe at Chiefs? Or does he need to lift the cup to save his job? Former Amakhosi defender Mokete Tsotetsi believes Nabi should be judged on the team’s overall progress throughout the season rather than one competition.
Speaking exclusively to Soccer Laduma, Tsotetsi emphasized improvements in Chiefs’ football this season compared to recent years. He credits these improvements as a reason for keeping Nabi in charge for the long term.
“It’s not just because of the Nedbank Cup semi-finals win against Sundowns. You have to look at the whole season and for me I think he has done very well since he joined the club. He has always been safe in my opinion. Winning the Nedbank Cup will be a great result but he should not he judged by that but by the way the team has been playing. It’s unfortunate they can’t convert their chances but looking at the chances they create it shows how good they have been playing this season compared to the past two or three seasons. That’s why I am saying the coach has always been safe,” Tsotetsi told the Siya crew.
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The former Chiefs defender pointed out that while winning the Nedbank Cup would be a significant achievement, finishing in the top eight would also conclude the season on a positive note.
“What is remaining now is a top eight finish. After failing to qualify for top eight last season and not reaching any cup finals it would be a good and fair season to reach the Nedbank Cup final and qualify for the top eight as well. That would conclude a good season. But all in all, coach Nabi has done a good job in building the team,” Tsotetsi concluded.
Amakhosi have two pivotal Soweto Derby fixtures coming up. On 3 May they face Orlando Pirates in the Betway Premiership at FNB Stadium, followed by the Nedbank Cup final at Moses Mabhida Stadium on 10 May. These two games could make or break Chiefs’ season.
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