Soweto – Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi has credited the club’s management for making smart transfer decisions that have lifted the Soweto giants to a strong start in the new season.
Chiefs are sitting on 13 points from their opening five Betway Premiership fixtures after edging Golden Arrows 1-0 at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Saturday. Portuguese striker Flavio Silva, who netted on his debut, secured the three points with the only goal of the match.
The 13-time league champions are now second on the log, tied with leaders Sekhukhune United. Their resurgence has been driven by new signings who have quickly settled at Naturena. Former Orlando Pirates defender Paseka Mako was named Man of the Match in only his second appearance for Chiefs, while fellow ex-Bucs player Thabiso Monyane has started all five matches at right back. Midfielder Siphesihle Ndlovu, signed from SuperSport United, is also staking his claim in the middle of the park.
Speaking through his assistant Khalil Ben Youssef, Nabi said the fresh arrivals have added quality and options. “Congratulations to the board. They did a very big job for us. Some players have already started playing and others will get their chance too,” he said.
The Tunisian coach, who guided Chiefs to the Nedbank Cup earlier this year to end a decade-long trophy drought, admitted that blending the squad will take time. “Building a team is always tough. With new players, you need time to create relationships on the pitch. For now, the important thing is to continue improving,” he said.
Nabi missed the opening three rounds of the season after travelling to Tunisia for family reasons, but has since returned to oversee the club’s progress. He will now use the upcoming international break to further refine his side ahead of a crucial top-of-the-table clash against Sekhukhune United.
That fixture could, however, be rescheduled if Chiefs’ CAF Confederation Cup commitments take precedence.
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