Tunisian coach Nabil Kouki emerges as frontrunner for JS Kabylie coaching job

Algerian giants JS Kabylie are reportedly preparing a major managerial move, with Tunisian coach Nabil Kouki emerging as the leading candidate to take charge ahead of next season.

The club is not rushing to appoint a permanent head coach for the remainder of the current campaign, opting instead for a temporary solution after the departure of German tactician Josef Zinnbauer. In the meantime, youth team coach Rabah Ben Safi has been handed interim responsibilities until the end of the season.

Behind the scenes, JS Kabylie’s board is already shaping its long-term technical direction, with several Tunisian coaches under consideration. However, Kouki stands out as the preferred option due to his familiarity with Algerian football and proven experience in the domestic league.

Kouki is no stranger to Algerian football, having previously managed both CR Belouizdad and ES Sétif, where he built a reputation for discipline, tactical organization, and competitive consistency.

The former Al Masry SC boss recently parted ways with the Egyptian side after a mixed spell that ended following a heavy 4-1 defeat to Zamalek SC in the opening round of the final stage of the league. His exit came amid a turbulent run of results across multiple competitions.

Al Masry’s campaign had been marked by inconsistency on several fronts. In the CAF Confederation Cup, they were eliminated after a tightly contested tie against Algerian side CR Belouizdad, drawing 1-1 in Egypt and again in the return leg. Their domestic cup hopes were also dashed in the Egypt Cup, where they fell to ZED FC on penalties in the round of 16. The team’s only remaining hope for silverware was the Cairo Cup, after progressing past El Gouna FC with a 4-2 aggregate win in the quarter-finals.

Despite the setbacks, Kouki’s overall record at Al Masry reflects a relatively balanced tenure. Across 37 matches, he recorded 16 wins, 13 draws, and 8 defeats — a performance that still keeps him in demand across North African football.

At JS Kabylie, the urgency for stability is growing. The club currently sits eighth in the Algerian league with 36 points from 24 matches, trailing the continental qualification places by six points for Confederation Cup qualification and seven points for a Champions League spot.

With ambitions still alive but momentum lacking, the Kabylie hierarchy views the upcoming appointment as a crucial step in restoring the club’s competitiveness at both domestic and continental level.

For Kouki, a return to Algerian football would represent both familiarity and unfinished business — and for JS Kabylie, it could mark the beginning of a carefully rebuilt project aimed at returning the club to its traditional status among Africa’s elite.