Muhsin Ertugral says it would be a mistake for Kaizer Chiefs to cut off Nasreddine Nabi because, whatever is wrong, he is the best candidate.
Nabi was appointed in July 2024 to replace Cavin Johnson, who was dismissed after failing to meet the set targets. The Tunisian mentor led AmaKhosi to win the Nedbank Cup, which also booked their spot in the CAF Confederations Cup.
Chiefs have shown significant improvement this season despite their 3-1 defeat to Sekhukhune United on Wednesday. In fact, their faithful supporters have been left with a sense of belief.
But after a dramatic week, Chiefs confirmed coach Nabi is not with the team to start their CAF Confederations Cup journey against Kabuscorp SCP on Saturday in Angola, amid massive exit speculation. Nabi’s two assistant coaches, Khalil Ben Youssef and Cedric Kaze, will be in charge of the team.
KAIZER CHIEFS STATEMENT RELEASED ON FRIDAY
“Kaizer Chiefs confirms that Head Coach Nasreddine Nabi is currently not with the team as discussions between the club and the coach remain ongoing. The matter is internal in nature and is being addressed through the appropriate processes.
“The Club remains focused on ensuring stability and continuity for the players and supporters during this period. As this is an internal matter, no further details will be shared at this stage,” reads the statement.
The Soweto giants and Nabi appear to be prepared to cut ties despite what seemed to be a decent start to the season.
WHAT MUHSIN ERTUGRAL SAID
However, their former coach Muhsin Ertuğral is doubtful that the decision will bring any improvements. In an interview with FARPost, the Turkish mentor said the decision would be too quick. He suggested that the club should allow him more time to build a sustainable long-term future for the club.
“It’s difficult to say. From the outside, it is just an opinion and difficult to judge. Inside a team, there are so many aspects, dynamics and factors that shape decisions like that.
“Obviously, a coaching change, decisions like this don’t always bring the expected outcome. Mostly, it seems as a quick decision. What is very important to remember there is a deeper process and decisions like these are never taken lightly. He was doing well in shaping the team. There was hope,” Muhsin Ertuğral said.
RELATED STORY: Kaizer Chiefs address Nabi’s future in statement