Coach begs Chiefs fans’ pardon

Amid speculation and calls from fans to vacate his position, Kaizer Chiefs coach Giovanni Solinas has called for more patience and promised to work extra hours to ensure the team gets the desired results in future.

Solinas is under added pressure after failing to beat Orlando Pirates in the Telkom Knockout match at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Saturday.

Pirates won 2-1 to advance to the final, but Solinas saw improvement in their performance and urged supporters not to lose hope.

“I feel pain,” was his opening remark in the postmatch media conference.

“I don’t feel good. We tried to fight until the last second but were unlucky not to score.

“If we could have scored with that last chance maybe we would have gone into extra time and maybe won it on penalties. “I apologise to our fans.” His team selection came under the spotlight again, especially his defence after they made some errors which resulted in Pirates’ goals, but the Italian mentor insisted the central pairing of Siyabonga Ngezana and Mario Booysen was best.

“Ngezana is young and is a typical modern central defender. He is physically strong, faster and a good header of the ball. He is the future... Mario talks and provides leadership.

Solinas said he knows things are not looking good but promised to add at least one cup of the remaining three this season.

“We started the season with several objectives, the first was MTN8 and we didn’t get it. The second was this cup and, unfortunately, we are out of it.

“We are now left with the league, the Caf Confederations Cup and the Nedbank Cup. We will continue fighting. We need to win one of the three remaining cups,” he said.