Still much work ahead for Chiefs — Nabi

Kaizer Chiefs mentor Nasreddine Nabi did not allow their 2-1 win over Marumo Gallants to make him think they have arrived, maintaining he still had a lot of work to do for Amakhosi to be the finished article.

Development graduates Mduduzi Shabalala, 20, and Mfundo Vilakazi, 18, were on target as Chiefs bagged maximum points in their league opener against Marumo, who had netted first via Sekela Sithole early in the first half, at a sold-out Free State Stadium at the weekend. 

“I am not really happy with a lot of things. The best thing from today’s game is three points, the spirit, the winning attitude,” Nabi said.

“We have too much, too much work to be cooking as the fans say. Please give me time. If you give me time at this lovely club, I promise you, I will cook for you.”

The Chiefs coach admitted that winning their first game of the season was good for their confidence.

Nabi, who was in charge of Chiefs for the first time in an official game, gave new players Fiacre Ntwari, Bradley Cross, Rushwin Dortley, Inacio Miguel and Gaston Sirino their debuts naming them in his starting XI.

Cross was voted man-of-the-match while Sirino, Miguel and Dortley showed flashes of brilliance as well.

Goalkeeper Ntwari was hardly tested.

“It’s good we won the first game, for the morale of the players and the fans but for myself, I have different eyes from the fans and media.

“I know I have too much work here... for now I congratulate my players for having a good attitude and winning. I need to see the team at another level... it’s a process,” Nabi said.

The Tunisian also emphasised that he would protect “big talent” Vilakazi from the media after his winning goal gave them full points.

“Vilakazi is a young ball, a big talent and I need to protect him from the media. This is my boy... he’s a big talent in SA,” Nabi said.

Amakhosi’s next game is against AmaZulu in the Premiership at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on September 25.

Meanwhile, Gallants’ coach Dan “Dance” Malesela felt hard done by the match officials.

Malesela implied the three officials were unfit and incompetent.

“Sometimes in football, you wish you could just say the truth as it is but because you respect the rules governing football, you’ll keep quiet.

“It’s not discouraging but saddening that our football is still where it is. I mean, we’re not moving forward,” Malesela said.

“We’re expecting people [match officials] to be fresh but as early as this time there are so many errors, so many doubts... then you question the level of fitness or the ability of people to be able to handle matches.”

Despite the defeat, Dance implied they were on the right track, claiming they deserved to win.

“The good thing about us is we can see where we are going... there’s a sense of direction.

“On a different day, we’d be able to deal with many teams. The sad part is that we lost... we should have got a draw.”

Marumo’s next league game is away to Golden Arrows on Saturday.