Kaizer Chiefs had a mixed season in terms of winning the Nedbank Cup and finishing the Betway Premiership outside the top eight for the second season running.
Despite the fanfare, high hopes and expectations when coach Nasreddine Nabi arrived at the start of the season, things haven't gone well for both the coach and the team in league competition.
Now insiders close to the club have indicated that the poor results and failing to qualify for the top eight has apparently put the coach under pressure leading into the pre-season.
"First and foremost you have to understand that the main mandate when he was appointed was to change the team's fortunes as we all know what he was going through but if you look at the team's performance it has not been good and that's what has put the coach under pressure. Even the meeting he had with the Chairman was because of the pressure the coach has. I can tell you he is under pressure. To say the truth, he has put himself under pressure because of what he promised to do to the team. So in short, we can say he is under pressure because of the results and the performance this season," the source told Soccer Laduma.
The second insider privy to reliable information further stated that the other factor that is putting Nabi under pressure is that the team had signed many new players but there was no improvement in as far as qualifying for the top eight was concerned.
"Winning the Nedbank Cup is good. Everyone is happy. But failing to qualify for the top eight has hurt the team so much and that is what brings in the pressure. Look, in the PSL for you to avoid relegation you should have at least 30 points and Chiefs finished on 32 points. That means they just avoided relegation by two points. That's not good with the expectations the team and supporters had from the coach and that's another pressure point to the coach. And mind you, Chiefs can still finish 11th if both Golden Arrows and Magesi FC win their games on Wednesday. That's another pressure. So, yes, even if the coach stays, for next season he is already under pressure," the second insider told the Siya crew.
Nabi arrived at Naturena at the start of the season with the saviour tag and although he won the Nedbank Cup after beating both Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates, the team struggled in the PSL.
Soccer Laduma contacted Chiefs for official comment on the issue but there was no response at the time of publishing.
This precarious situation creates a fascinating backdrop to Chiefs' upcoming transfer window and pre-season preparations. While the Nedbank Cup triumph ended a decade-long trophy drought and secured CAF Confederation Cup football for next season, the league performance has clearly fallen short of expectations for a club of Chiefs' stature.
As Nabi prepares for his second campaign, the pressure to deliver immediate improvement in league form will be immense, with the continental commitments adding another layer of complexity to an already challenging situation. How the Tunisian tactician navigates this pressure and whether he receives the transfer backing needed to compete on multiple fronts will be one of the most compelling storylines of the South African football offseason.
