Chiefs’ head chef Nabi promises given time ‘at this lovely club, I will cook for you’

Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi is experienced enough not to get carried away with his team's bright start with their 2-1 win over Marumo Gallants, and was quick to stress he still has a lot of work to do for Amakhosi to be close to the article he envisages.

Development products Mduduzi Shabalala and Mfundo Vilakazi were on target as Chiefs bagged maximum points in getting their Betway Premiership campaign off to a strong start against Gallants, who had netted first via Sekela Sithole early in the first half, at a sold-out Free State Stadium on Saturday.

“I am not really happy with a lot of things. The best thing from today's game is three points, the spirit, the winning attitude,” Nabi told SuperSport TV after the game.

“We have too much work to be cooking, as the fans say. Please give me time. If you give me time at this lovely club, I promise you, I will cook for you.”

The Chiefs coach admitted that winning their first game of the season was good for their confidence. Nabi, in charge of Amakhosi for the first time in an official game, gave new players in Fiacre Ntwari, Bradley Cross, Rushwin Dortley, Inacio Miguel and Gaston Sirino their club debuts by naming them in his starting XI.

Cross was voted man of the match, while Sirino, Miguel and Dortley showed flashes of brilliance too. Chiefs had an intensity and fire in their play that was sorely lacking as they sagged to their worst finish of 10th in their last campaign. Ntwari was hardly tested.

“It's good we won the first game, for the morale of the players and for the morale of the fans — but for myself, I have different eyes from the fans and the media. I know I have too much work here,” Nabi said.

“For now I congratulate my players for having a good attitude and winning. I need to see the team at another level — it's a process.”

The Tunisian emphasised he will protect “big talent” Vilakazi from the public glare after his winning goal gave them full points.

“Vilakazi is a young boy, a big talent and I need to protect him from the media. This is my boy — he's a big talent in South Africa. He is my son.”

Amakhosi meet AmaZulu next in their league clash at Moses Mabhida Stadium on September 25.