Sundowns a tough first task – Solinas
Giovanni Solinas would have preferred it if his first match in charge of Kaizer Chiefs was not against Absa Premiership champions Mamelodi Sundowns, he has conceded.
The 50-year-old Italian received his work permit on Monday‚ and has finally made his first public statements‚ published on Chiefs’ official website on Thursday morning.
Solinas admitted that a first task of taking on star-studded Sundowns in the PSL’s seasonopening game at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria on Saturday (kickoff 3pm) was a big ask for any new Chiefs coach.
“Playing against the reigning champions is never easy‚” he said.
“Sundowns started their season early‚ because they had to play African Champions League games.
“They are the favourites for this season and they have a fantastic coach in Pitso Mosimane‚ who leads his team in special ways.
“I would have preferred to have played them next month‚ but this is how it is.
“I know the expectations are very high. It will be a tough game‚ but we are ready.”
He cautioned, however, that: “In football you need time‚ because one can’t change too much overnight.
“To prepare a winning team takes time.
“That’s not an excuse‚ that’s the nature of football.
“I know that the supporters want to win trophies and that’s what we all want.
“That comes with pressure‚ but that’s no problem. I am used to pressure.
“We are working hard to fulfil the fans’ wish to get a trophy. We will fight for our jersey‚ our colours and our badge to defend our honour.”
Solinas arrives at an Amakhosi who went three seasons trophyless under his predecessor‚ Steve Komphela.
The Italian has won only one recognisable trophy‚ the 2010 North African Cup Winners Cup with Algerian club ES Setif.
And his job at Chiefs is made tougher by his late arrival at Naturena following a prolonged search for a head coach by Amakhosi. Solinas has been working against the clock since his arrival on July 13‚ almost a month into Chiefs’ preseason‚ which had been overseen by assistant coach Patrick Mabedi.
The former Free State Stars coach will have had just three weeks working with the team when Amakhosi lock horns with Sundowns.
Given that he was trying to instil an attacking brand of football‚ his task was even harder.
“We have to be patient, but I am extremely happy with the attitude‚ the commitment and the focus of the players at training,” he said.
“We are working hard to improve the tactics‚ fitness and psychological approach.”
Sundowns are well aware that they will have a marksman’s target on their back in the coming season, but the Absa premiership title holders said they would be ready for all the pretenders to their crown.
The Brazilians will do battle on five fronts.
Besides defending their domestic league title‚ they will contest the Caf Champions League‚ MTN8‚ Telkom Knockout and Nedbank Cup.
Goalkeeper Denis Onyango conceded that they had a tough journey ahead.
“It won’t be easy to defend the league title, but we must stay positive‚” he said.
“We have to believe that we can do it besides the fact that the league programme is going to be heavy with all these domestic competitions and the Caf Champions League.”
Sundowns beat Chiefs during the preseason Shell Helix Cup at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, but Onyango is not expecting Amakhosi to make dramatic changes under new coach Giovanni Solinas.
“They have the same players and mentality.
“The only difference maybe will be the fighting spirit.
“I am expecting them to field a different team from the one they fielded in the preseason‚ but we need to win.
“Last season we lost to them at home in the league, but we want to start on a good note.”