Ex-Chiefs coach – ‘That should be Nabi’s mandate’

Kaizer Chiefs' new coach, Nasreddine Nabi, should not be expected to win the league title in his debut season, says former Amakhosi player and coach Sergio Dos Santos. 

Given the team's struggles last season, which saw them finish ninth in the Betway Premiership and miss out on a top-eight finish, Dos Santos believes success this season should be defined by winning a cup competition and securing a more respectable position in the league. 

The Glamour Boys are about to begin their 2025/2026 campaign with a difficult away match against Stellenbosch FC at a sold-out Athlone Stadium in Cape Town. 

Dos Santos's comments suggest that a more pragmatic approach to the season's goals is necessary, emphasizing the importance of incremental progress over immediate, unrealistic expectations.

DOS SANTOS – ‘THIS IS NABI’S CHANCE TO BECOME A KING’

“Nabi had one year to discover what Kaizer Chiefs is about, the pressure he is coaching under, I'm sure he has found out by now which players are good enough, and he's signed a few players now, there's no more excuses and stories, it's time for him to lift Kaizer Chiefs back to the top,” Dos Santos tells KickOff.

“Kaizer Chiefs have the big job at hand because they've been out of it for quite a few years now. This is the chance for Nabi to become a king. Because if he doesn't succeed he is gonna be in trouble. I don't think they can win the league, but they got to be thereabouts.

“Personally I do not think that at this stage there is any team in South Africa good enough to challenge Mamelodi Sundowns for the league title. I don't think there is anybody who can do that.

“The best Nabi need to do is to continue challenging for the cup competitions as one of the top teams in the country. It's what the supporters wants and demands. 

“As far as the league is concerned, he needs to keep as close as possible to the top. They must just be like Pirates was this past season. That should be his mandate.

“On Sunday they are coming to Cape Town, which is far away from home, they are playing against Stellenbosch, a team that has proved to be contenders. But Kaizer Chiefs they cannot afford to start the season without getting positive result.”