Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Brandon Petersen addressed ongoing discussions about whether the team performs better without outgoing head coach Nasreddine Nabi.
The debate centres on the team’s performance, with some believing they played more effectively under assistant coaches Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef than under Nabi.
This discussion began following the team’s impressive start to the season, during which they secured wins in their first three matches. At the time, Nabi was away in Tunisia, attending to his wife after she had an accident.
Upon Nabi’s return, the team played to a 0-0 draw against Mamelodi Sundowns, their most formidable opponent so far. Nabi then led the team to one more victory before their first defeat of the season against Sekhukhune United.
Now, with Nabi set to leave the club, his assistants are expected to take over. Petersen shared his thoughts on the perception that the team plays with more freedom and performs better under their guidance, dismissing the idea as a “conspiracy.”
‘WE’VE ALWAYS BEEN THE SAME’: BRANDON PETERSEN
“I think we’ve always been the same when coach Nabi was there or if he wasn’t there,” Petersen told journalists on the sidelines of the Carling Knockout Cup launch on Monday at the Dme, FNB Stadium. “Like you said, it’s a conspiracy. For us, it’s important to always respect whoever is in charge because that’s our job. Our job is to play football, listen to the coaches.”
Regarding how they were handling Nabi’s situation, Petersen said the focus remained on the next game. Amakhosi have back-to-back matches against Marumo Gallants in the Betway Premiership on Wednesday at FNB Stadium. On Saturday, they host Angola’s Kabuscorp in the CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round second leg, having lost the first leg 1-0.
“I think at the end of the day, it’s football, coaches come, and coaches go. For us, the main thing is to stay focused. We have back-to-back games, and it’s important to try to keep the team together. We have a job in hand, and our job is to play football. That’s the main focus for now. We’re looking forward to the next fixture and doing our best.”
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