Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi has fired back at critics, revealing that he remains a sought-after figure, receiving offers from other ‘big clubs’.
The highly-rated Tunisian tactician uttered these sentiments following Chiefs’ 1-0 loss to Mamelodi Sundowns in a Betway Premiership clash at a sold-out Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville on Saturday afternoon.
Lucas Ribeiro netted the solitary goal, securing Sundowns’ victory over Chiefs for the third consecutive time this season.
But it seems it was not the defeat that irked Nabi as he expressed pride in his troops’ performance despite the unfavourable outcome. Instead, he was disappointed by criticism from fellow coaches, which he deemed disrespectful.
This criticism arises amidst the Soweto giants’ inconsistent run of form in Nabi’s debut season. ‘The Glamour Boys’ are in eighth place in the league after 19 matches, with seven wins, four draws, and eight losses.
Chiefs missed out on the MTN8 due to their ninth-place finish last season, and their Carling Knockout Cup journey was cut short. However, they’ve reached the Nedbank Cup quarterfinals, giving them an opportunity to end their trophy drought, which is nearing a decade.
On the league standings, they are a massive 29 points behind Sundowns, effectively extinguishing any realistic title aspirations.
Notably, former Bafana Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane is among those who criticised Nabi, stating the ‘Amakhosi’ tactician is “not really convincing” at the club.
NABI DISAPPOINTED BY ‘DISRESPECTFUL’ CRITICISMS FROM FELLOW COACHES
“The coach can be criticised; that’s how the job is, that’s the description of the job; you lose four games, people have the right to criticise you,” said Nabi.
He believes there are forces actively working against Chiefs’ return back to the top of SA football. He cautioned the ‘Amakhosi’ faithful that rebuilding is a long-term process, one that’s been repeatedly reset over the past decade at the club.
Nabi suggested that some individuals intentionally disrupt this process by criticising the coach, aiming to trigger a dismissal.
“But the fans of Kaizer Chiefs need to be careful because this is a process that is going on, and it has been 10 years that things are going, coming back to zero, going and coming back to zero,” added the former Yanga SC coach.
“Sometimes there are people that don’t want the process to succeed, and the best way is to criticise the coach, and the coach gets fired, then the process is going to start from zero again, and then it is going to be a cycle that is starting every year or every season.”
NASREDDINE NABI REVEALS THAT HE’S NOT AT CHIEFS FOR MONEY
The Chiefs coach also stated that he’s not motivated by money, revealing that he has received far more lucrative offers from other big clubs.
“I’m not here for the money,” he declared. “People talk too much in the media. My salary, I don’t talk [about it], I promise you. Every three days I have a proposition in big clubs. Three times than [the] salary I receive here.
“I have a mission here with Kaizer Chiefs and I have big respect for the mission. I’m not here for the money, and I love this club and I’m strong, and I don’t lose my confidence quickly because I’m strong.
“I’m going to sacrifice everything to ensure Chiefs go back to where they belong, and the criticism is part of the job, but sometimes when you see your colleagues, coaches criticise you, that’s a lack of respect, especially when you are in a bad situation, that’s lack of respect, that’s what impacted me, not the rest but being criticised by your own colleagues who can be in your own shoes or who have been in your own shoes that’s bad. I believe I have a strong formation and experience. I know what I’m doing; I will get it right.”
RELATED STORY: Why Mandla Masango rejected a ‘disrespectful’ PSL offer
