Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Brandon Peterson has addressed the impending departure of coach Nasreddine Nabi, stating that coaches come and go and the team must focus on its job.

Nabi missed Chiefs’ 1-0 loss against Angolan club Kabuscorp in the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round away this past weekend.

The club stated that he was resolving issues with them. In his absence, his assistant coaches, Khalil Ben Youssef and Cedric Kaze, led the team.

Talks have been widespread that Nabi is set to leave the Chiefs due to not having the correct qualifications to coach in the Confederation Cup. There are also reports that he wants to return to his wife, who was involved in a car accident before the season started.

Peterson acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding the coaching situation but stressed that the team’s primary focus should remain on playing football to the best of their ability.  

“I think at the end of the day, it’s football, coaches come, and coaches go, but we need to stay focused because we’re playing games back-to-back,” Peterson said.  

“So, for us, obviously, it’s to try to keep the team focused, make sure we stay focused. We have a job in hand, and at the end of the day, we have to do our job of playing football very well.” 

Peterson expressed confidence in Amakhosi’s ability to adapt to the new coaching arrangement and look forward to the next fixture.  

“I think that’s the main focus for now, and we’re looking forward to the next fixture. I think we will be ready for the next fixture; nothing will affect us negatively,” he expressed. 

The former Bidvest Wits goalkeeper emphasized the importance of respecting the current coaching staff and following their instructions.  

“I think we’ve always been in the same issue, but for us, we need to respect whoever is in charge because it’s our job to play football and respect the current coaches, then do what they instruct us to do,” Peterson added.  

“At the end of the day, like I said, this is football, and coaches come and go. For us, we need to not be affected by that, and our main focus is on playing football, not anything else.” 

Nabi’s impending departure comes after a mixed season with the club last term, where the team played 35 games in all competitions under his guidance, winning 12, drawing eight, and losing 14.

They conceded 42 goals but scored 39 and managed to win the Nedbank Cup, ending a 10-year trophy drought under his guidance.