Thabo Cele on Kaizer Chiefs' rebuilding journey under Nasreddine Nabi

Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Thabo Cele says the team is fully embracing the rebuilding phase under head coach Nasreddine Nabi, as they aim to restore the club’s former glory through patience, consistency and gradual progress.

Cele, who returned to South Africa in January this year after nearly a decade in Europe, believes the foundations are being laid for sustained success — with the squad now more settled under Nabi, who is heading into his second season with the Soweto giants.

“With Kaizer Chiefs, there’s so much potential to win the trophies,” Cele said during the Thabo Thalente Games launch in KwaMashu. 

“So, for us as a team, we can say that we have become that (successful) team within the club, so we can win things. But for us, we just need to focus on things that we can do for now, so we can improve gradually as time goes on.”

The 28-year-old joined Amakhosi as a free agent after parting ways with Russian outfit Fakel Voronezh. 

Having left the country in 2016 to launch his professional career with Real SC in Portugal, Chiefs became his first club in the South African top flight.

And it didn’t take long for Cele to make his mark.

Since arriving in January, the KwaMashu-born midfielder has made 15 appearances and played a key role in ending Amakhosi’s decade-long trophy drought — helping the club lift the 2025 Nedbank Cup after edging arch-rivals Orlando Pirates in a dramatic final.

“Building is a process; for us, we need to focus and try to enjoy that process,” he added. 

“It goes back to the fact that we love and enjoy what we’re doing. All these difficulties we come across, we’re just trying to make that process.”

Chiefs have entered the 2025/26 pre-season with cautious optimism. 

After a rocky first campaign for Nabi, in which the team showed flashes of promise, the Tunisian mentor has been backed with new signings and time to implement his philosophy without the turbulence that derailed previous projects.

As part of their preparations, Chiefs have jetted off to the Netherlands for a pre-season camp, where they’ve already tested themselves against Eredivisie clubs Vitesse and FC Utrecht.

The trip is aimed at sharpening match fitness and further embedding Nabi’s tactical ideas ahead of what promises to be a demanding season — both domestically and on the continent.

Thanks to their Nedbank Cup triumph, the Glamour Boys will also return to CAF competition, participating in the Confederation Cup after a lengthy absence from the continental stage.

For Cele, the project is taking shape, and the mood in the camp suggests a unified belief in what’s being built at Naturena.

“We’re just trying to make that process,” he said. “Step by step.”

With a trophy already secured and continental football back on the agenda, Chiefs are quietly plotting their resurgence — one layer at a time.