Nabi Downplays Pre-Season Losses, Urges Fan Patience
Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi has stated that the objective of pre-season matches is not about winning, even after yet another loss, this time in the Toyota Cup.
The Glamour Boys suffered a 4-3 defeat to Asante Kotoko at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday, marking their fifth loss in six pre-season fixtures.
Nabi’s side played five friendly matches in the Netherlands, securing only one victory. However, the Tunisian coach emphasized that results are not the focus during this period. He explained that sometimes the team trained twice a day, or even trained before playing a friendly match, indicating that development, rather than immediate outcomes, is the priority.
Fan Concerns Amidst Poor Pre-Season Form
This string of losses has sparked worry among Chiefs fans, especially given the club’s high expectations for winning. The team also finished outside the top eight for the second consecutive season last year, adding to supporter anxiety.
Despite the concerns, Nabi urged fans not to be worried, even though the team has scored just three goals in these outings.
“The objective of these games is not about the results after 90 minutes,” Nabi stated. “I have explained this to you, and I know you are smart enough and you understand that.”
Nabi Explains Pre-Season Philosophy
Nabi reiterated his call for calm among the fanbase. “I do repeat, I want everyone to be calm. Since when have we discussed results in pre-season? I’ll give you more information. I know the media, and if you want to push that we lost, we lost. I have studied media, and I know all. If you want to push from one direction, push me from the positive; I know.”
He continued, addressing the demanding schedule: “I respect you, and now we are together with the fans. But in some of these games, we played one day after another, against Eredivisie teams and full, compact teams. It was not about development or anything specific. Some games, we played after training for two sessions – morning and afternoon – and then had a game the next day.”
“If I wanted a result to win, it’s not normal that we train and then have a problem like that, but I don’t have a problem,” Nabi affirmed.
“I know my job, I know what is needed, and all the people in the world know that the objective of pre-season is not the results. Finally, my conclusion is, I know you know this (that results don’t matter in the pre-season), and thank you for the opportunities.”
