Kaizer Chiefs head coach, Nasreddine Nabi, could be facing a two-match suspension following his red card in the aftermath of his team's 1-0 loss to Lamontville Golden Arrows on Sunday.
The Tunisian mentor was shown a red card by referee Olani Kwinda after the final whistle for visibly remonstrating with the official, a gesture that could now see him sidelined for upcoming fixtures.
According to the National Soccer League (NSL) handbook, any club official who is dismissed by the referee, such as Nabi, faces a mandatory two-match suspension.
This is Nabi's first red card of the season, which means he will miss the next two matches for Chiefs. The fixtures that Nabi is likely to miss are the upcoming Betway Premiership clash against Sekhukhune United and the Nedbank Cup tie against Free Agents FC.
However, the timing of this suspension is relatively fortunate for Chiefs.
Nabi is expected to be available for the highly anticipated Soweto Derby against Orlando Pirates, which is scheduled after these two matches. The absence of the coach could place additional pressure on the team, but first assistant coach Khalil Ben Youseff has already stepped in to handle the post-match duties and will likely take on the role in Nabi's absence.
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The NSL rules are clear on the issue of suspensions for dismissed club officials, with the relevant section of the rulebook outlining that the first offence in a season results in a two-match suspension. Subsequent dismissals during the same season would see the suspension period increase by an additional match. Nabi will be expected to serve this suspension for the next two official matches, which could impact the team's preparation for upcoming matches, especially with the importance of the Sekhukhune United and Free Agents FC games.
NSL Rule 53.1 stipulates that any official dismissed by the referee must serve this suspension during the following two matches. The rule is strictly enforced, and the league keeps detailed records of dismissals and suspensions, ensuring that teams are notified of any sanctions.
In Nabi's absence, the spotlight will fall on assistant coach Ben Youseff, who will take charge of the tactical decisions and media interactions for the time being. The coach's red card has drawn attention to his emotional response after the defeat, but this will now be an opportunity for Ben Youseff and second assistant Cedric Kaze to step up and help steer the team through a difficult period without their head coach at the helm.
With Nabi's suspension potentially having little impact on the highly anticipated Soweto Derby, Kaizer Chiefs will likely focus on getting back to winning ways against Sekhukhune and Free Agents FC, hoping to regroup before the big clash with Orlando Pirates.
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