Kaizer Chiefs seek common ground with coach target Nasreddine Nabi

Kaizer Chiefs had a meeting this past weekend with potential new coaching target Nasreddine Nabi with an aim to resolving stumbling blocks in the way of the Tunisian taking a job at Naturena.

TimesLIVE is informed that a deal remains not a certainty, and that Amakhosi have been in contact with other foreign coaches who might take their head coaching position.

The club is eager to make an appointment in the coming two weeks, ahead of the start of the 2023-24 preseason.

More certain is that Arthur Zwane, who steered Chiefs to fifth place in the DStv Premiership in 2022-23 and an unprecedented eighth campaign without a trophy, seems increasingly unlikely to continue in the job.

Zwane does seem likely to be retained in the first team coaching staff as an assistant, though that could depend on the desires of a new head coach coming in.

Issues Chiefs and Nabi, 57, are attempting to iron out relate to the technical staff that would be employed should he take the job. These relate not just to bench technical positions such as assistant and goalkeeper coach, but also back room staff.

Nabi has certain technical staff members he would want to bring in, and Chiefs have to see if that is compatible with existing employees and their futures.

With Nabi having other offers, Chiefs also have other backup options they have been speaking to.

Nabi steered Tanzania’s Young Africans, commonly known as Yanga, to the final of the 2022-23 Caf Confederation Cup where they lost on away goals to USM Alger after a 2-2 aggregate scoreline.

The Tunisian, who joined Yanga in April 2021, also steered the club to its second straight Tanzanian Premier League title under his tutelage in 2022-23. He also won the Azam Sports Federation Cup (Tanzania's FA Cup) back-to-back in 2021-22 and 2022-23, making for league and cup doubles in both his seasons at the club.

Yanga last week announced Nabi would be leaving, saying in a statement: “The leadership of Young Africans Sports Club would like to inform the public it has reached an agreement to part ways with Nasreddine Nabi after the coach asked not to extend a new contract.”

Other clubs coached by Nabi since he began his professional career in 2013 are Libya's Al-Ahly, Al-Hilal in Sudan, Ismaily in Egypt and Al-Merrikh in Sudan.

Chiefs have not broken their silence on Zwane’s future or a potential replacement since the end of the 2022-23 season in May.

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