Despite a positive start at Kaizer Chiefs, a former club midfielder believes coach Nasreddine Nabi will need at least another four months to transform the team.
Nabi, who took the reins at Chiefs ahead of the 2024/25 PSL season, has brought a breath of fresh air to the club. Arriving with his own technical team, the Tunisian tactician has already made a positive impact, securing two wins in his first three Betway Premiership matches.
His impressive 4-0 victory over SuperSport United in the Carling Knockout Cup propelled Chiefs into the quarter-finals, reigniting hopes of a long-awaited trophy among the Amakhosi faithful.
While Nabi’s early success has undoubtedly lifted the spirits of the Amakhosi supporters, the club’s former midfielder, Linda Buthelezi, believes that the coach’s ultimate success should be measured by the development of the players under his guidance.
Buthelezi emphasised the importance of sustained improvement and a long-term vision for the club rather than solely focusing on short-term results.
LINDA BUTHELEZI SAYS COACH NASREDDINE NABI STILL NEED MORE TIME TO TRANSFORM THE CLUB
“With Nabi, I don’t know him very well, and I am still assessing him. I don’t think it would be fair to judge him with pre-season matches and a few matches,” he told FARPost.
“I say he still needs another four months. But if you understand Kaizer Chiefs, you would know that they should be number one. Besides the number in terms of position, there are certain players at the club that I would say need to pull up their socks.”
“Everybody deserves to play for any team. Because we are talking about Kaizer Chiefs, everybody deserves to play for Kaizer Chiefs. But you need to be 120 per cent prepared to play for the club,” he said.
Meanwhile, Buthelezi went on to praise Chiefs’ leadership for bringing in new energy and ideas with the appointment of Nabi.
“Nabi has to be judged through the hard work of the players. We will see that [his success] through the reflection of the players that he is a good coach,” he added.
“As for now, I am still assessing him and I appreciate that Chiefs has taken a decision to bring somebody else who is different. You need fresh energy, so that fresh energy has to reflect through the players.”
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