Kaizer Chiefs ready for a pivotal campaign as they kick-off the Betway Premiership against Stellenbosch without coach Nasreddine Nabi

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6 days ago

DURBAN-born Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Ethan Chislett one of the expected players to show status. | BackpagePix
Image: BACKPAGEPIX
Kaizer Chiefs will enter a make-or-break season under coach Nasreddine Nabi, which is why the players need to blend quickly and hit the ground running.
Chiefs finished ninth in the Betway Premiership last season, a disappointing result given their high hopes for the campaign.
So despite winning the Nedbank Cup and ending their 10-year trophy drought, there were still calls for Nabi to be sacked.
However, the management decided to retain the Tunisia-born coach, backing him with adequate preparations and squad depth.
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Chiefs toured the Netherlands last month, playing five training matches against Dutch outfits. They lost four and won one.
The club also strengthened the squad with six new players: Siphesihle Ndlovu, Ethan Chislett, Thabiso Monyane, Paseka Mako, Flavio Silva, and Nkanyiso Shinga.
Silva, however, faced criticism for his performances in the Netherlands, as the Portugal-born striker appeared out of sorts in the final third.
Nabi said he was surprised to hear such reports and has backed the 29-year-old to adapt in time.
'I was a little surprised to hear about the negative comments, but as long as the player has signed for Kaizer Chiefs, it's our duty to work with him,' Nabi said.
'We also have to give him time to adapt. That doesn't only apply to Flavio but to anyone new, which is why I won't single him out.
'We need to put other players in the same bracket, including the younger ones coming from the DStv Diski Challenge team.'
After Mduduzi Shabalala, Mfundo Vilakazi, and Wandile Duba showed flashes of brilliance last season, Nabi has backed the youngsters to grow in leaps and bounds this year.
'We believe that the competition those players are going to face will make them better and improve their performances,' Nabi said.
'Without competition, young players sometimes lose focus, and after a few months, they won't be consistent.
'But we are going to need everyone to step up and raise their hands this season, not just Duba or Shabalala.
'We are going to need Naledi (Hlongwane), Thulani (Mabaso), and Matlaba (Nkgwesa) because of the developments this season.'
Coach Update
We regret to inform our supporters that Coach Nasreddine Nabi will not be traveling with the team to Cape Town for our opening game of the 2025/26 Betway Premiership season against Stellenbosch FC this Sunday.https://t.co/ektYRGBARu #Amakhosi4Life pic.twitter.com/jPjcIOPC5C — Kaizer Chiefs (@KaizerChiefs) August 8, 2025