Nasreddine Nabi again hot favourite for Kaizer Chiefs job

Amakhosi have been linked with several names, including Alexandre Santos – the Portuguese mentor who just parted ways with Angolan giants Petro de Luanda after winning the league title. 

Despite confirmed talks between Santos and Chiefs, it’s understood the Glamour Boys will not be advancing in discussions with the coach to replace interim head Cavin Johnson next season.  

Johnson initially arrived at Naturena as the head of youth before being parachuted to the senior team after Molefi Ntseki was fired just 114 days into the job in October last year. 

The public broadcaster has been informed that Nabi is instead head and shoulders above the rest of the candidates, with the previous stumbling block that prevented the Tunisian from joining Chiefs no longer in the way.

SABC Sport reported around this time last year that the 58-year-old had been offered the job by the Soweto giants, with personal terms all but agreed, until the club insisted he accept his soon-to-be predecessor Arthur Zwane as his assistant coach. 

Nabi, who had just won a league and cup double with Young African in Tanzania and was not signing a new contract to stay on at the time, then rejected the conditions as he preferred to bring along his own backroom staff. 

Talks eventually collapsed and the serial winning coach joined AS FAR in Morocco, where he was in pole position to win the championship until being overtaken by Raja Casablanca at the summit with one match to play. 

Information gathered by SABC Sport suggests Amakhosi are respectfully waiting for the Botola Pro League to conclude before finalising a deal that will see Nabi become their new head coach.

The Soweto giants, who finished the 2023/24 campaign in a woeful 10th position – the worst in the club's history, are now willing to pay compensation to AS FAR because Nabi remains contracted until June 2025.

Should Nabi get the nod, as is now expected, Chiefs will allow the Tunisian mentor to assemble his own support staff as well as help reassemble a squad that could bring the glory days back to Naturena following yet another dismal campaign.

READ: Pedro Goncalves: Alexandre Santos has transformed Petro de Luanda