Same tune as Nabi calls for patience after defeat, says Chiefs are rebuilding

Loss against Richards Bay a blow for Amakhosi, who remain in eighth place as pressure mounts on coach

17 March 2025 - 12:17
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Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi during their Betway Premiership match against Richards Bay at King Zwelithini Stadium in Durban on Sunday.
Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi during their Betway Premiership match against Richards Bay at King Zwelithini Stadium in Durban on Sunday.
Image: Darren Stewart/Gallo Images

Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi has for the umpteenth time this season emphasised the need for patience at the club and trust in the process after suffering their ninth Betway Premiership defeat, 2-0 to Richards Bay at King Zwelithini Stadium on Sunday.

The defeat was a blow for Chiefs, who remained in eighth place in the log table with 29 points from 22 matches.

After the side's inconsistent run, the pressure continues to mount on Nabi, but the Tunisian coach remains optimistic he will turn his team's fortunes around and believes they are on the right track.

“We are rebuilding a team and a big club such as Kaizer Chiefs is not built in six or seven months — you need more time than that,” Nabi said in his post-match press conference.

“We know exactly what we need to have a better team or club. It is not that today, because we are losing, then tomorrow when we are winning we say the opposite. I have to emphasise we are in the building process and we know exactly what we need.”

Fezile Gcaba (48th minute) and Yanele Mbuthuma (72nd) scored in the second half to hand Bay the maximum points. In their past five league matches, Amakhosi have only managed to find the back of the net twice and have not scored in their previous two.

Nabi is now looking forward to the Fifa international break to work on a few things before their next fixture against Lamontville Golden Arrows at Mpumalanga Stadium on March 30.

“We play games every three days and there is not much you can work on when you play every three days. We have been struggling in that area [scoring] and we hope with the international break we can work on certain things.

“After they [Bay] scored early in the second half the team became nervous as they tried to come back, and when you do that you leave a lot of spaces behind, which they took advantage of to score the second goal.

“Against a low block, like they were playing, with a lot of people inside and around the box, we tried to do combinations and make crosses.

“But we were lacking a bit for a big striker who can fight for the ball and we have to give credit to Richards Bay; they fought for the three points.”

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