Coach Nabi looks forward to Usuthu clash
After a gap of 10 days since his first match at the helm of Kaizer Chiefs, coach Nasreddine Nabi is looking forward to his second foray into Betway Premiership action when Amakhosi take on AmaZulu at the Moses Mabhida stadium in Durban this evening.
No doubt looking to build on Chiefs’ impressive come-from-behind win over Marumo Gallants on the 2024/25 season’s opening day, the Tunisian has utilised the extra tie productively in preparing his players, as well as gathering information about Usuthu.
Declaring a fully fit squad, the coach tells www.kaizerchiefs.com, “Our preparation has been good. We have watched the previous game of our opponents, AmaZulu, and analysed the strengths of the team and some areas where we believe they have weaknesses that we can exploit.”
While Chiefs have had quite a lengthy wait for their second league match, the coaching staff have planned their schedule meticulously to ensure the players are sharp and focused on match day.
“The turnaround times between matches can present challenges. If you have more than one week’s rest between games you can lose something,” the coach says, “but our fitness coaches have been working hard to get the players in the best possible shape to perform at a high level.”
Meanwhile, some pre-match banter from AmaZulu coach, Pablo Franco Martin, adds a touch of spice to the match. He reportedly said, tongue-in-cheek, that he knows coach Nabi and suggested he also knows how he plays and therefore implying, how to beat him. The pair faced off in Tanzania, when the Spaniard managed Simba FC against Nabi’s Young Africans.
However, coach Nabi wisely declined to rise to the bait, offering in response, “I know him, he is my friend and in Tanzania he was one of the best coaches and he is someone whose ability I respect, so we will se how it turns out. I hope everyone will enjoy the contest.”
This mouth-watering Betway Premiership fixture between Amakhosi and AmaZulu kicks off at 19:30 at the Moses Mabhida stadium in Durban this evening.
