Kaizer Chiefs head coach Nasreddine Nabi has come under increasing scrutiny as the club continues to struggle in the Betway Premiership.
Following a 2-1 defeat to Golden Arrows at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday, calls have intensified for Nabi to potentially include a local coach in his technical team.
Read: Nabi Dismisses Reason For Chiefs' Struggles
However, the Tunisian tactician remains adamant that nationality is not the issue.
Under Nabi, Chiefs have endured a difficult campaign, recording their 10th league loss of the season.
His coaching staff includes Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef as assistants, Ilyes Mzoughi as a goalkeeper coach, and Safi Majdi handling strength and conditioning.
Unlike rivals Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns, who have local coaches on their technical teams, Chiefs have an entirely foreign setup.
Nabi has dismissed suggestions that a local assistant would help him adapt to the PSL. Speaking after the loss to Golden Arrows, he stated, in part, "I don't think the problem is that aspect. Skills don't have nationality."
Meanwhile, former Chiefs midfielder Humphrey Mlwane remains unconvinced. He believes Chiefs lack structure, pointing out that top coaches like Jose Mourinho prioritise defensive solidity upon arrival at new clubs.
"What I still don't understand about the coach (Nabi) is that he doesn't seem to have a structure. As a head coach joining a new club, the first thing you should work on is getting the structure right, but that doesn't seem to be the case with him. I don't know how long it will take him to build just a simple structure before he can start working on all the other things he needs to work on. Top coaches do this. (Jose) Mourinho does it, and when joins a club the first thing he works on is a defensive structure of the team so that opponents find it difficult to score against his side. With Chiefs, teams score easily against them. It was the same thing against Golden Arrows this past weekend, and Chiefs was exposed against coach Manqoba Mngqithi's tactical planning," said Mlwane, speaking exclusively to the Siya crew.
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"Chiefs concede easily against opponents, and in turn, they find it difficult to score. The structure is wrong. For me, all of this can point to only one thing, that the coach is not familiar with local football as we all know, and that he needs a local coach to assist him and the rest of the coaches in his technical team. It doesn't have to be a coach with an ambition of becoming a head coach, but someone like a club legend who can assist with basic information like assessing opponents the way he knows how they play, and with a different view from what your qualified analysts give you these days," added Mlwane.
By Masebe Qina
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