Nasreddine Nabi's abrupt exit from Kaizer Chiefs last October was the coach's own decision, according to his former assistant Khalil Ben Youssef. The departure followed a misunderstanding with the club's board just six league games into the 2025/26 season.
Ben Youssef, who along with Cedric Kaze took over as co-coach after Nabi left, provided the clearest explanation yet. "The situation, it was a misunderstanding between Nabi and the board," he said. "It was his decision [to leave]. He said 'I want to go, I don't want to stay.'"
Nabi's legacy and immediate aftermath
Nabi's tenure was brief but historic, ending a decade-long trophy drought by winning the 2024/25 Nedbank Cup. His farewell message notably omitted any thanks for his direct assistants, Ben Youssef and Kaze, and his exit came amid intense speculation over his expired CAF coaching credentials.
Co-coaches' impact and the club's trajectory
The interim duo of Ben Youssef and Kaze stabilized the ship, guiding Kaizer Chiefs to a third-place finish in the Betway Premiership. Their 54-point haul was the club's second-highest league total in eleven years, a solid foundation for the current campaign.
That foundation is evident now, with the team sitting fourth in the Premier Soccer League on 13 points after seven games. The focus shifts to continuing that form against Stellenbosch at home on 17 October, a match where this season's squad will look to build on the platform left by last season's co-coaches.
First reported at Vodacom Soccer
