With Kaizer Chiefs head coach Nasreddine Nabi reportedly out of favour with the club's hierarchy, club legend Doctor Khumalo has made a case for the 59-year-old's first season at the Village.
The post-season review of Nabi, in his debut campaign, will be on a tightrope, even though he won the Nedbank Cup.
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Even though the club overhauled the technical team, particularly with new strength and conditioning coach Majdi Safi, they seem to have suffered the same problem of a lot of injuries, which has been their Achilles heel for a number of seasons.
The likes of Edmilson Dove, Reeve Frosler, Gaston Sirino, Wandile Duba, Bongani Sam, Rushwin Dortley, and Edson Castillo all suffered lengthy spells on the sidelines, which, according to Khumalo, meant it was a miracle for Nabi to win the Nedbank Cup.
Especially considering that only five players (Dove, Pule Mmodi, Thabo Cele, Makabi Lilepo, and Sirino) started all the Nedbank Cup games from the quarterfinals against Stellenbosch FC to the final against rivals Orlando Pirates.
"These are the only players who survived, only five started (from the quarter-finals). Nabi is probably the only coach in the PSL who did not have the entire squad fit throughout the year," Khumalo said on SABC Sport's Soccer Zone.
"Every game there's a new face. I mean, Castillo just came back, Sirino red-carded, (Inacio) Miguel suspension, Dove injuries. So, Nabi did not have the boys at his disposal, but in the final he had 99% of them."
Former Amakhosi coach Arthur Zwane believed his first season in charge was derailed by injuries.
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“Football is a contact sport and anything can happen. I’ve never seen so many injuries in one season. We lost two players at some point, who collided with each other – it just didn’t make sense.”
The Glamour Boys, however, relieved Zwane of his duties as they intensified negotiations with Nabi, which only bore fruit after one full season.
