Kaizer Chiefs' struggles deepen: Can Nasreddine Nabi turn it around?

Nasreddine Nabi’s tenure at Kaizer Chiefs is teetering on the edge, and Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Golden Arrows has only deepened the crisis.

Despite dominating large spells of the match, Amakhosi once again fell victim to their own defensive frailties, undone by a well-organised Arrows side under former Mamelodi Sundowns boss Manqoba Mngqithi.

It’s a recurring theme this season – promise without end product, control without conviction.

Now languishing in eighth place in the Betway Premiership, Chiefs are staring at yet another forgettable campaign, and unless something changes fast, Nabi could soon find himself out of time and out of excuses.

Much has been said about the need to overhaul the squad and get the players the coach wants, and that is a fair assessment. However, it should also be pointed out that the players the club signed when the season started were done so by the Tunisian.

Out of all the players that were signed by Nabi, only Rushwin Dortley has impressed with his performances on the field. The 22-year-old has been the only Chiefs player who has been called up by Bafana Bafana on a consistent basis. The rest have struggled, leaving fans to doubt that any new players brought in will have any impact.

If things don’t change, Nabi will soon find himself having to deal with the club’s infamously impatient supporters, who often have unrealistic demands. We don’t have to look too far back to see this happening.

Nabi’s predecessors Molefi Ntseki and Arthur Zwane did not enjoy a happy time in charge of the club, and both were on the receiving end of some ugly incidents that saw them pelted with objects after poor results. If results don’t improve soon, Nabi could soon find himself on the receiving end of such vile attacks. Time is running out. Nabi has seven games to get some respectability to Chiefs’ season.

To the club’s credit, they have backed him throughout the season, and have insisted time and time again that they view his tenure as a long-term project. But, there’s not much they’re going to be able to do once the fans start to turn on him.

If Nabi is to salvage his tenure at Kaizer Chiefs, he must find a way to turn things around quickly – both in results and performances. The remaining games of the season present an opportunity for him to restore faith among supporters and prove that his vision can still bear fruit.

However, if the downward spiral continues, the club may be left with no choice but to make yet another managerial change, adding to the growing list of failed appointments. For now, the ball is in Nabi’s court, but time is running out, and patience is wearing thin.