Under fire ‘Chico’ calls for patience
Kabelo Boranabi | Saturday February 25, 2023 06:00
‘Chico’ was given the head coach's role at Magosi in late December with Chiefs in the promotional spot then. Chico had a delightful Chiefs’ debut with a 1-0 win over Young Stars.
It quickly went sour between Magosi faithful and Nare as the coach had a squad overhaul in the January transfer window. More than 10 players, including favourite, Galabgwe Moyana left the team and ‘Chico’ brought several recruits including former Premier League top goal-scorer, Kekaetswe ‘Mara’ Moloi, former Security Systems hard man, Omphile Sebolai and attacker, Tebogelo Malebogo.
A mass squad exodus visibly irked the Chiefs’ fans and proved to be a start of a rocky relationship between the coach and the Kgatleng giants' fans. After Young Stars' victory, Magosi ailed to win in three of the four league games played.
The team dropped to the fourth spot, six behind the leaders, CRACKiT City Polar. Nare needed a police escort after the latest league defeat, a 2-1 loss to Uniao Flamengo Santos. After the defeat, it appeared the Magosi faithful had had enough of their new coach’s management skills and called for his sacking less than two months into the job. But Nare and his troops brought breathing space last weekend with a 2-0 win over elite league side, Holy Ghost in the Orange FA Cup last 48 round.
‘Chico’ has now won three of the six games while in charge at Chiefs although the team is stuttering in its chase for Premier League promotion. Speaking to journalists, Nare asked Magosi fans for their patience. The tactician believes Chiefs are starting to find their rhythm and fans should have patience in the ‘project’. “You can remember the (transfer) window (period) just closed. A lot of players who were signed are not yet here. If you look at Mara, just when he was about to get his fitness, he lost his father and he is not with the team today.
But the fans will say I didn’t pick him, they don’t even know what is happening,” he said. “We are still trying combinations of who can play against who at the moment. Building a team is a process, it is not a five-game thing where you can just pick anyone. We are still building a team. If you look at it upfront we have an attacker that lives in Kang. He only joins the team for match days, so it is a tough decision to make whether to start with him or not. The two guys who played in midfield are new; it is still difficult for them to gel in, so we are still working on combinations.
At the end of it all, we are die-hards and we know that this is a struggle,” Nare said. Nare hopes the cup tie-win would inject confidence into his side as he asks for more time to build a formidable team at the Riverplate Grounds. “I am happy, I am relieved. I am happy with the results after last time's embarrassment. We needed a result and I think we got it. For me, it was not the best of performances but it was a professional performance. We are relieved as the technical team. We can sleep now (but) I have never seen a coach that can build a team in five games, it is only here,” Nare said. Chiefs will resume their league ambitions tomorrow against URI Black Forest at the Forest Grounds. Elsewhere, Matebele and VTM FC will lock horns at the Nest Grounds while Santos and Broadhurst United battle for three points at the Gabane United Grounds. Young Stars travel to Tsabong where Black Rangers lie in wait at the VDC Grounds. On Sunday afternoon, Matebejana take on Notwane at the Holy Ghost Park while City Polar and Tlokweng United meet at the City Polar Grounds.