Gamondi – Chiefs are a team certain to go up

Young Africans head coach Miguel Angel Gamondi has wished Nasreddine Nabi well in his new role with Kaizer Chiefs, and thanked him for the foundations he laid at the Tanzanian giants.

Nabi led Young Africans to consecutive Tanzanian Premier League titles, as well as the final of the Caf Confederation Cup, before leaving to take the reins at Morocco’s FAR Rabat in July 2023.

The 58 year-old Tunisian has now taken over at Chiefs, with the hope of dragging them out of the doldrums, while Gamondi, who replaced Nabi at Young Africans, also won the league title last season, as well as reaching the quarterfinals of the Caf Champions League.

“I am grateful to him (Nabi) for the foundation he laid at Young Africans, they had won the league in the last two seasons, so for me (coming in), it was high pressure. Luckily we did even better, we had an impressive season and were even in the Champions League quarterfinal.

“I don’t know him (Nabi) personally, but I am very respectful of him. He helped me with my work in Tanzania and I wish him all the best. Hopefully he … can do even better than he did at Yanga with Chiefs.

“The task is not easy, to come to Chiefs, especially in this moment, Chiefs have not been doing well the last few seasons.

“(But) I think Chiefs are a team certain to go up and be back at the top of South African football. Hopefully this is the start of a new era for club and coach.”

‘No pressure’

Former Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Gamondi will face off with Nabi in Sunday’s pre-season Toyota Cup at the Free State Stadium, but played down the importance of any coaching rivalry.

“Maybe for the press … it is good marketing to see coach Nabi and coach Gamondi (against each other), but it is not about this, we are at the stage of preparing the team (for the new season). I am very competitive, every coach wants to win, but there is no pressure to qualify for anything or to get three points.

“If a result like this is not coming (in a pre-season match) you do not lose your job!”