Frustrated Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi has resorted to playing friendly matches to keep his charges sharp due to the long fixture break to accommodate the MTN8 cup final and the Fifa calendar.
During cup final weeks, the PSL does not schedule league matches and this, coupled with the fact that a Fifa international break comes immediately after, leaves Chiefs without a game for three weeks.
This has left Nabi, whose team is gaining momentum at high speed, tearing his hair out in frustration as he seeks to keep up the tempo. Confidence is sky high in the Amakhosi camp after they recorded two wins against Marumo Gallants and AmaZulu, and a controversial loss against Mamelodi Sundowns.
“I don’t understand why the league is stopping. We have just started on September 16. We played only three games. We have scheduled some friendly games amongst the teams that we are going to face,” said the outspoken Nabi.
This could be the season where all the Chiefs academy graduates flourish in the rebuilding process under Nabi, as they have so far shown that they may be the future of what seems to be an exciting project at Amakhosi.
The likes of Mduduzi Shabalala, Wandile Duba, Samkelo Zwane and Mfundo Vilakazi have all had minutes under their belts. Shabalala, Duba, and Zwane have all started matches so far this season, with Vilakazi coming from the bench in all three league games so far.
Nabi has since spoken openly about the impact of the development players at Chiefs and how he will be utilising them.
“Duba is conditionally good and has technique and his performance against Sundowns was good. He is also an academy graduate like Shabalala, Vilakazi, Zwane, and a whole lot of others. With Vilakazi, he is a young boy, a big talent, I love him and so I need to protect him,” Nabi said recently.
Apart from how his tenure ended at Amakhosi, former head coach Arthur Zwane has been given flowers by Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi for laying a strong foundation for Nabi and his team.
“I would not want to give this one [credit for Chiefs youngsters’ rise] to coach Nabi first, I first want to give it to Arthur Zwane,” Mngqithi said.
“He [Zwane] gave opportunities to these players, who took Chiefs to the Caf Champions League final [in 2021] but unfortunately the change of leadership then brought them a little bit backward.
“And I do believe, had these players continued from that time up until now, they would be highly respected by now.
“They showed very early that they have something different, but I must also say I appreciate the fact that coach Nabi has realised that sometimes we get stuck in this thing of players having or not having experience.”
After a positive start to their 2024/25 Betway Premiership campaign, Nabi will get close to a month to continue instilling his philosophy.
Amakhosi will only be back in action against SuperSport United on October 26.
