Nasreddine Nabi: Former Kaizer Chiefs boss sacked after bitter fallout

Former Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi has been dismissed by Moroccan powerhouse Raja Athletic Club just months into his tenure, with the Tunisian coach pointing to a breakdown in his relationship with the club’s sporting director as the primary cause.

The 61-year-old’s position at the club reportedly became untenable due to escalating behind-the-scenes tensions. Nabi, who previously led Kaizer Chiefs for 14 months and secured the Nedbank Cup in 2025, found his working conditions at Raja increasingly difficult.

According to Moroccan media outlet Al-Amq, Nabi had raised concerns with the club’s leadership about his professional relationship with the sporting director.

Nabi on why he fell out with Raja boss

“Ten days ago, I told the management that it was difficult for me to continue working in these circumstances, so they informed the sporting director of the need to cooperate with me,” Nabi stated, as reported by GOAL.

However, the situation did not improve. “But after that, he went too far in his actions and his individualistic approach,” Nabi explained. “In the end, the management decided to favour the sporting director and continue the project with him.”

Nabi also revealed a significant lack of involvement in key club decisions, particularly regarding player recruitment. He claimed he was left in the dark about new signings, a critical issue for any head coach.

“I was not consulted by the sporting director, for example, about the signing of a striker; I only learned about him on the internet,” he added.

Another short stint for ex-Chiefs coach

While accepting the club’s decision to part ways, Nabi expressed his disappointment with how the matter was handled, suggesting a lack of transparency from the board.

“I accept the decision to terminate the contract, but it was necessary to inform me months in advance of this intention, so that I would not start working in unfavourable conditions for me,” he said.

This departure marks another short stint for the well-traveled coach, who has now managed three different clubs in the last two years. He joined AS FAR in 2023 for a one-year spell before moving to South Africa to take the helm at Kaizer Chiefs.

Following his exit from Chiefs, he was succeeded by his assistants Khalil Ben Youssef and Cedric Kaze.