The weather was also amazing, which helped, Better than training in 40 degrees in Spain,” said Nabi.
Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi feels optimistic about the upcoming season following their preseason camp in the Netherlands.
During their camp, Amakhosi played five pre-season training games, losing four of them and only registering one win.
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They lost 2-1 against Vitesse, 4-0 against Utrecht and 1-0 against NEC Nijmegen. They then redeemed themselves with a 1-0 victory against PEC Zwolle before losing 2-1 against FC Twente in their final preseason friendly.
“We saw a lot of positives in our training matches against very strong Dutch opponents,” Nabi told Chiefs media. “The players have started to understand the way I want them to play and they jell well as a strong unit.”
“Our camp took place in beautiful surroundings,” added Nabi. “The fields on which we trained were in perfect condition and our opponents were really good. As a result of all this, the pre-season camp was beneficial to everyone.
“One of the conditions of having a good season is having a good pre-season – that’s where the foundation is laid.”
Why Chiefs played two friendlies in two days
“We didn’t only want quality opponents,” Nabi explained, “we also wanted quantity. Parallel with this, we did some tough physical work at training, even doing double-sessions on the day before a match.
“We did this to have the players play games feeling extremely fatigued. That was not only to prepare the team for the league season, but also for the CAF Confederation Cup games for which we will often have to travel for long hours. That’s when players will have to perform while feeling very tired.
“We even had two sessions the day after one of the friendlies, with the objective of getting the players mentally ready. That’s also why we organised back-to-back matches twice, playing a friendly two days in a row. It allowed us as well to give maximum opportunities to all the players to get minutes.”
Nabi happy with new signings
Nabi was also happy with how the new signings who joined the pre-season camp in the Netherlands, including Nkanyiso Shinga, Ethan Chislett, Thabiso Monyane and Flavio Silva adapted to their new surrounding.
“They need to fully jell with the group. However, they are all adapting nicely, and they start to understand what I expect from them. Our objective was to sign new players that will bring us to a higher level compared to last season.”
Chiefs youngsters impress
Nabi was also impressed with the three youngsters coming from the Kaizer Chiefs Youth Development Academy, Thulani Mabaso, Kabelo Nkgwesa and Naledi Hlongwane. The trio were part of the preseason camp in the Netherlands, with Hlongwane netting the winner against PEC Zwolle.
“We don’t want to rush them,” said Nabi, “however, I am always willing to give maximum opportunities to young talents. If you are good enough, you are old enough to play. That’s my philosophy.”
Nabi also praised the club management for organising the Netherlands before taking a veiled dig at their Soweto rivals, Orlando Pirates, who held their camo in Spain.
“It was all extremely professional, from the hotel staff to the quality of the opponents. The weather was also amazing, which helped, Better than training in 40 degrees in Spain.”
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Meanwhile, the Premier Soccer League (PSL) has released the provisional fixtures for the 2025/26 Betway Premiership season.
Chiefs are set to kick off the 2025/26 season against Stellenbosch FC away on 10 August.
Chiefs’ first five fixtures:
10 August: Stellenbosch FC (A)
13 August: Polokwane City (H)
19 August: Richards Bay (H)
27 August: Mamelodi Sundowns (A)
30 August: Golden Arrows (A)
