Nabi, Riveiro: Doubts over the futures of both coaches

There is a cloud of doubt over the futures of Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi and Pirates boss Jose Riveiro, albeit for different reasons.

Jose Riveiro and Nasreddine Nabi. Image: X/@Power987Sport

What fate awaits Nasreddine Nabi and Jose Riveiro, the two highly-regarded coaches of Soweto rivals Chiefs and Pirates?

Let’s take a closer look at the cases of Nabi and Riveiro.

Jose Riveiro

It can’t be underestimated just how significant it is that Riveiro has become Orlando Pirates’ most-capped coach in the Premier Soccer League era, having just reached 120 games in charge of the Buccaneers.

Since joining Pirates in July 2022, the Spaniard has won over fans and followers, overseeing a largely successful period that has since the Soweto giants claim five trophies — three MTN8 titles and two Nedbank Cups.

The league title still remains elusive, although Pirates are now a clear second to Sundowns, but it does make one wonder whether Riveiro has perhaps achieved all he possibly can at the club.

Riveiro has never spent more than three years at one club, and with his contract expiring at the end of the season, it will be interesting to see if he decides to call it quits.

It has already been well-publicised that he has been ‘home sick’ at times, exacerbated by having to spend so much time away from his family.

“What many don’t know, for two long years, Riveiro has been separated from his wife and young daughter, enduring the isolation of distance while shouldering the weight of leading a football giant like Orlando Pirates,” a club statement revealed just last October.

“The mental toll of working away from family, compounded by the unrelenting demands of top-level coaching, would have broken many. Yet Riveiro has persevered, driven by a profound sense of duty to the club and its supporters.”

If Riveiro does leave Pirates, it would be a massive blow to the club, but he certainly would have left a positive legacy behind.

Jose Riveiro has enjoyed more immediate success than Nasreddine Nabi

Nasreddine Nabi arrived at Kaizer Chiefs last year amidst much fanfare, but it has not been an easy ride so far.

As Nabi has looked to implement his plan there have been clear teething problems, with mixed results and unconvincing performances threatening to leave the club without a major trophy once again.

After yet another draw in the league against Cape Town City on Wednesday, the Glamour Boys face the very real threat of falling into the bottom half of the standings, and it’s clear that some supporters are beginning to run out of patience.

Earlier this year, Nabi was apparently on the shortlist for the Tunisia national team job, but he reiterated his commitment to Kaizer Chiefs as he views the project with the club as a long-term prospect with plenty of potential.

While some fans have dramatically questioned the job security of Nabi, there is no doubt that the club will not turn its back on the 59-year-old so soon, but this patience will not last much longer unless there is a real reversal in fortunes from next season.

“The coach can be criticised; that’s how the job is, that’s the description of the job; if you lose games, people have the right to criticise you,” said Nabi as per FARPost.

“But the fans of Kaizer Chiefs need to be careful because this is a process that is going on, and it has been 10 years that things are going, coming back to zero, going and coming back to zero.

“Sometimes there are people that don’t want the process to succeed, and the best way is to criticise the coach, and the coach gets fired, then the process is going to start from zero again, and then it is going to be a cycle that is starting every year or every season.”