Nabi: Morris Has Qualities We Need

Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi says his decision to sign Tashreeq Morris has proven doubters wrong, noting that the player’s profile initially surprised some.

He shared his thoughts on the club’s new acquisitions during the January transfer window.

The Tunisian tactician brought in Thabo Cele, Glody Lilepo, and Morris to strengthen the squad for the second half of the season.

Lilepo scored the winning goal in Chiefs’ 1-0 victory over Stellenbosch at Athlone Stadium on Friday. Morris marked his debut with a goal in their 2-2 draw against AmaZulu last Tuesday.

“When you want new players, you have to think twice for you to get the right players that will fit in your team, and we feel that we did a great job to get players that could help us,” Nabi said.  

“In December/January you need to bring players that are ready to help the club. Thabo (Cele) is a player that we’ve been following, he is a brave player and we want that type of player.  

“Tashreeq (Morris) I believe that most people were surprised that he is joining Kaizer Chiefs, but you can see the qualities that he brings to the team. He can hold the ball, he can play, and can give us enough time to get there.” 

With a congested fixture schedule, Nabi praised his fitness coach, Safi Majda, for maintaining the players’ peak condition.

Nabi, who joined Amakhosi in July 2024, brought his trusted staff, including Khalil Ben Youssef, Fernando Da Cruz, Ilyes Mzoughi, and Majda.

However, Da Cruz departed in September to become the Technical Director for the Moroccan FA. Following his exit, the 2014/15 Premiership champions appointed Cedric Kaze as a new assistant coach, who also assists Nabi with translations during interviews.

“My congratulations go to our fitness coach [Safi Majda], he is a very competent fitness coach and he’s been in big clubs like Wydad, Raja in Morocco, and the Tunisia national team,” Nabi said.  

 “We knew that his work was fantastic, even during the week we were relaxed because he told us the process through these three games in six days. That’s the reason I decided to come with my staff at the beginning of the season because I know that these people are competent and work very hard.  

“We are in this together and we hope that we are going to do more. We have big fans who like this team and we promise to do more so that we’ll put a joy and smile in their faces. Sometimes it’s been hard but we are united together in doing everything.”  

The win against Stellenbosch initially propelled Chiefs to fourth place in the Betway Premiership table with 25 points from 17 matches. However, Sekhukhune United’s draw with SuperSport United on Sunday has since moved them back into fourth.