Chiefs’ Nabi says he will walk if club want him to go

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Nasreddine Nabi insists he doesn’t feel and personal pressure, and says he will walk at the end of the season if Amakhosi management want him to go. 

ALSO READ: Nabi calls for Chiefs focus ahead of Sundowns clash

Nabi goes into Chiefs’ Nedbank Cup semifinal against Mamelodi Sundowns on Sunday at Loftus Stadium, with many critics wondering if the Tunisian should stay, after a disappointing first campaign in charge. 

Chiefs’ hope

Chiefs are currently eighth in the Betway Premiership, though they do have some hope of salvaging a trophy from their season if they can win on Sunday, and take down Marumo Gallants or Orlando Pirates in the Nedbank final. 

“My contract is two seasons here,” but it is not for me to decide, said Nabi on Thursday when asked about his future. 

“I think about it as a process, you think about it as results. If we think like that we can’t have a discussion. It is like one speaking French and the other speaking English. 

“I am not here to say I deserve the work. The board analyses every situation, they see every meeting, game after game, they know what we are doing. If they say I don’t deserve to stay, I will go. If they say I deserve to stay, I will stay. I am working, I have a contract, I trust my process.” 

Nabi also bristled at any suggestion he was feeling pressure ahead of Sunday’s match. 

‘There is no pressure’

“You said there is pressure on me if we lose (to Sundowns) … there is no pressure. The first year is a process. We will try to win the trophy, to play for the fans, and the board. But there is no pressure. We discussed with the board that we need two or three years then we can build a team to challenge in Africa and for the league.”

The Chiefs head also became philosophical, saying the real pressure is on Chiefs fans trying to make ends meet. 

“The pressure is to make them (the fans) happy and forget that life is expensive, to enjoy football. If you need to pay your rent on the 25th of the month and you don’t have money, this is pressure. Real pressure is life every day, when you don’ have money at the end of the month and your salary is finished, you need to pay school for your boy but you don’t have money.

ALSO READ: Bafana and Sundowns number one bags ‘tasty’ deal

“If I lose the game and receive a big salary, this is pressure? Pressure for what?

“I can take my flight (out of here), bye bye, no problem. There is social pressure, for that we have big respect for the dans who come to Polokwane in a small car with nine people in it, who drive 300, 500, 600kms to support their team. We are here for them. Every day we explain to the players to look at the sacrifices the fans make for us.”