Bvuma Reveals What Nabi Changed At Chiefs
Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Bruce Bvuma has revealed the biggest change new coach Nasreddine Nabi has made at Naturena, leading to improved performances evident in the first few matches of the season.
The Soweto giants have won two of their opening three matches in the Betway Premiership, and currently sit in 6th place, three points behind defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns at the summit and Orlando Pirates in second place.
This impressive start follows a disastrous 2023/24 campaign where the Glamour Boys finished outside of the top eight in position 10 – their worst-ever league finish, and Bvuma has attributed the new sense of optimism to a change of personnel.
“I think we’ve had a very good start to the season, we’ve been playing very well. And obviously, I think the change of personnel like the technical team, we’ve been working very hard with them, and the new players who came in have been doing so great, that’s why we started so well,” he said.
The Chiefs shot-stopper says that Nabi, who has a proven track record of winning titles across the continent, has instilled a winning mentality in the squad, something Amakhosi have been lacking as they approach a decade-long trophy drought.
“The mentality has changed from the way we were thinking last season, ” Bvuma acknowledged. “It’s one of the things the coach has been emphasizing that we need to change our mentality and do better in certain areas and I believe we’ve been doing well.”
Ahead of the CUFA Cup match against Marumo Gallants on Sunday, the Bafana international insists there are no friendly games under the Tunisian mentor and believes the encounter will be a good preparation for the double-header against SuperSport United after the international break.
“I think that’s where the mentality part comes in because even with the friendly games we’ve played [in pre-season], the coach made it clear that for him there are no friendly games,” Bvuma stated.
“We need to take it seriously and go to this game knowing that we have to go out there and win the game. I think playing this game is going to help us a lot because it’s competitive, so I believe it’s going to help us go back to playing the way we have been playing in the league, so we’re looking forward to the game and hopefully we are going to win it.
“It’s very important that we play this game because it’s going to help us going forward, we are playing SuperSport in the Carling Cup, so this game is going to be very good preparation for us,” added the 29-year-old goalkeeper.
