Kaizer Chiefs finally confirm Nasreddine Nabi as new head coach

Kaizer Chiefs on Sunday confirmed the worst-kept secret of the 2024-25 preseason as they announced Tunisian Nasreddine Nabi as their head coach.

Reports circulated for weeks the 58-year-old would sign as Chiefs' new coach.

Nabi ended his lone season spent with AS FAR Rabat in Morocco with a 2-1 defeat to Raja Casablanca in the Throne Cup final last week.

The clearest indication Nabi would join Chiefs was when the 51-year-old Frenchman, reported to be joining Amakhosi as Nabi's assistant, Fernando da Cruz, was filmed arriving at OR Tambo International Airport two weekends ago.

He was greeted there by Chiefs' sporting director Kaizer Motaung Jr.

Amakhosi ended the 2023-24 DStv Premiership campaign with their worst finish of 10th place under caretaker coach Cavin Johnson, who parted ways with Chiefs this week despite his initial job description at the club being head of the academy.

Nabi steered Rabat to second place in the tough Moroccan Botola top flight league in 2023-24. They ended with a 2-0 win in their derby against FUS Rabat but Raja's 3-0 away victory against away Mouloudia preserved their single-point lead.

The Tunisian earned a reputation as a coach capable of challenging for and winning trophies at Young Africans in the ever-improving Tanzanian Premier League, clinching the title in 2021-2022 and 2022-2023.

He steered “Yanga” to the Caf Confederation Cup final in the second of those campaigns, where they lost on away goals (2-2 aggregate) against USM Alger.

He was linked to the Chiefs job before the 2022-23 season and had at least one meeting with the club, who surprisingly opted to move head of youth and technical and former Bafana Bafana boss Molefi Ntseki to the head coaching position.

Da Cruz also has plenty of experience, having managed Lille’s youth side and reserve teams, plus a stint as caretaker of the senior team, where he also worked as a scout.

Reports have suggested Nabi will bring five new technical staff members with him to Chiefs.

Chiefs are recruiting the no-nonsense Nabi with the hope he will help them overturn a spell of nine years without trophies that has left the club the laughing stock of rival fans.

Corresponding with that drought at Naturena, big three rivals Mamelodi Sundowns have had a dominant run with seven successive league titles, while Orlando Pirates have won four cup trophies in the past two seasons.

Things got worse last season as Chiefs ended the Premiership failing to reach the campaign’s MTN8, ending 13 points above relegated, bottom-placed Cape Town Spurs.

Chiefs ended a whopping 37 points behind champions Sundowns, who lost their only match of the season on the final day to Cape Town City.