The road to success is seldom one without many twists and turns, and that’s something to bear in mind for Kaizer Chiefs fans under coach Nasreddine Nabi.
This will be especially relevant if the Soweto Derby against Orlando Pirates does not go the way of Chiefs on Saturday. Kick-off is at 3pm at FNB Stadium.
Traditionally, Chiefs fans are not a patient bunch. The previous two coaches, Molefi Ntseki and Cavin Johnson, both were subject to missiles being thrown onto the field in their direction as results didn’t go their way.
Chiefs finished 10th on the log last season, and though the consensus is that they’re playing much better football this term, they’re not much higher on the Betway Premiership log in ninth position.
Why Sticking with Chiefs’ Current Coach Could Mirror Klopp’s Liverpool Success
Chiefs management may be determined to stick with the Tunisian mentor, but once the missiles are hurled in Nabi’s direction, the dominoes tend to come crashing down.
But when they do, for a change, it might be worth sticking with the current coach.
Chiefs need only look to the example of Jürgen Klopp at Liverpool when he arrived at the club in October 2015.
Though Klopp led a Liverpool side in transition to the final of the UEFA Europa League in his first season in charge, it would be some time until the team won its first trophy under the German.
Of course, there were more positive signs in the 2017/2018 season when Liverpool were runners-up in the UEFA Champions League, but still, the trophies remained elusive.
That was until Liverpool won the Champions League the following season, and that signalled the dawn of a new era.
Liverpool’s Remarkable Rise Under Klopp and What Chiefs Can Learn from It
Among Klopp’s achievements at Liverpool was a first league title for Liverpool in 30 years when they won the Premier League in the Covid-interrupted season of 2019/2020.
What Klopp did for Liverpool was nothing short of incredible, but it was built on the trust the owners had in him and, in turn, the fans. Now Liverpool are on the powerhouses once more and their 20th Premier League title which was clinched over the weekend is testament to this.
For now, it seems Nabi and the Chiefs management are on the same page as they form a long-term plan for the Soweto Giants that have not won the league title in a decade now.
The true test, though, will be when those missiles are hurled at Nabi (and that will be inevitable if their run of poor results continues) that the club remains resolute and the coach does not become disillusioned by poor fan behaviour.
@Michael_Sherman
Sport
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