Kaizer Chiefs left for Angola on Thursday without their coach Nasreddine Nabi, who was still mulling over an offer for an early termination of his contract after a dramatic week involving the validity of his coaching badges.
It is learnt Nabi was reminded his Uefa pro licence needed to be renewed for him to occupy the bench when Chiefs begin their CAF Confederation Cup campaign against Kabuscorp on Saturday.
The coach’s licence apparently expired in 2023, and a December 2024 circular from CAF said teams would not be allowed to have coaches without valid licences on the bench for intercontinental fixtures this season.
“CAF has been lenient, but they reminded clubs months ago that they won’t be this time,” an insider said. “The coach was informed, but he seemingly didn’t take the situation seriously. He was asked this week to produce a valid licence and he did not.”
As a result, Chiefs opted to suspend the coach, who instead requested to speak to his representatives about initiating talks over a mutual termination of his contract, which was set to expire in 2026. Chiefs have not commented on the matter because at the time of writing Nabi had still not signed a settlement agreement, Business Day has been told.
News of the coach’s sudden departure is believed to have leaked from his own camp after he was informed he would be suspended.
“He wanted to gain public sympathy,” a Chiefs insider said. “But the truth is, at the start of this week, he didn’t have a valid licence. The one he submitted to the club has expired. He couldn’t sit on the bench. He was informed he won’t be travelling to Angola because he’s in breach of his contract.”
It is unclear what the terms of Nabi’s sudden termination are, with the standard being three to six months settlement, depending on the length of the contract. It’s also unknown whether Nabi is hankering for more, but he was also not helped by Tuesday’s listless 1-3 defeat to Sekhukhune United at FNB Stadium.
That the club performed admirably well when he was on compassionate leave, tending to his injured wife after an accident in Tunisia, also made Chiefs conclude that Nabi was expendable.
His assistants, Khalil Ben Youssef and Cedric Kaze, will take charge of the fixture against Kabuscorp. They should do so again in a league fixture against Marumo Gallants on Wednesday, by which time Chiefs hope the Nabi chapter will have been closed.
Nabi also, seemingly, has accepted his fate but attributed his departure to the family commitments. “Currently, I need some time to rest, focus on my family and monitor my wife’s health,” he was quoted as saying by transfermarkt.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.