Nabi to Chiefs? More reports claim Tunisian is set for Amakhosi

Tunisian Nasreddine Nabi is in his second year of being heavily linked to the Kaizer Chiefs head coach role, but this time it seems like the rumours may well turn out to be true.

Nabi was said to be joining Chiefs ahead of the 2023/24 season, but Phakaaathi understands that the Tunisian’s wage demands put off Amakhosi, who ultimately appointed Molefi Ntseki.

That turned out to be another disaster for Amakhosi, who sacked Ntseki in October, with Cavin Johnson taking over as interim head coach. Chiefs have now gone nine successive seasons without a single piece of Premier Soccer League (PSL) silverware and finished the 2023/24 campaign in tenth place in the DStv Premiership, their lowest ever finish in the PSL era.

Chiefs appear to have responded by going back in for Nabi, who has spent this season as head coach of Morocco side FAR Rabat.

Several reports from across the globe in the last few days, following on from plenty of South African rumours, have said that Nabi’s move to Chiefs will be announced as soon as the Moroccan season ends, with FAR set to finish off their campaign with the Throne Cup semifinal on June 23.

Last season, Nasreddine Nabi was very close to taking control of @KaizerChiefs! This time it’s the right one (season),” wrote Tunisian journalist Ahmed Adala on Twitter.

“Nabi, 2nd in the Moroccan championship with AS FAR (one point behind champion Raja), will be Kaizer’s coach next season. The Tunisian, Champion of Tanzania and finalist of the 2023 CAF Cup with Young Africans, winner of the same competition while coaching AC Leopards in 2012, will first finish the season with his current club in Morocco before leaving in South Africa.

“Nabi will be accompanied in his new mission by Khalil Ben Youssef, Ilyes Mzoughi and a Tunisian physical trainer.”

Qatari sports behemoth Bein Sports also confirmed the news on Twitter.

“Tunisian Nasreddine Nabi leaves the Royal Moroccan Army Club at the end of the season after agreeing with the South African team, Kaizer Chiefs,” wrote Bein Sports.

Nabi speaks

Nabi himself has also confirmed an offer from ‘South Africa’, according to goal.com.

“The South African offer was not the only one, but rather I received several offers. But I will have a meeting with the team (Rabat) president (Mohamed Haramou) to talk about this issue,” said Nabi.

“I am currently focusing on the cup semi-final match against Maghreb Fez. I tried to raise the morale of the players and told them that there is still a chance to win (the Throne Cup).”