New system
Solinas wants Khune to play like a sweeper
Kaizer Chiefs coach Giovanni Solinas is working on a new playing system that will see Itumeleng Khune used as a sweeper-keeper.
With the evolution of soccer in recent years‚ most coaches are encouraging goalkeepers to play with the ball at their feet to initiate buildups from the back.
Solinas said this was the philosophy he was imparting to his players at Naturena.
Khune has earned a reputation of being one of the best distributors of the ball on the continent with his quick releases up the field, but may have to alter his game to accommodate Solinas’s idea.
The Italian, who has the mammoth task of bringing back the glory days at Chiefs, said: “Our philosophy is that we start to play with the goalkeeper.
“The goalkeeper must play to the defenders to start combinations and forward movements.
“I want the goalkeeper to play as a central defender – we are working on those things during our drills at training.
“We want to use the goalkeeper as a central defender and playing with the feet‚ this is the idea‚ our philosophy and sometimes it will work, sometimes it will not work.”
He said the move might benefit the likes of forwards Khama Billiat‚ Siphelele Ntshangase‚ Hendrick Ekstein and Lebogang Manyama, who like to play with the ball at their feet.
Solinas also said he wanted his defenders to be able to handle defending in big spaces, because Chiefs will attack with a minimum of seven players.
Meanwhile, after weeks of speculation, Chiefs have confirmed that their long-serving midfielder Siphiwe Tshabalala, 33, will jet off to Turkey to join his new club.
Chiefs said: “Siphiwe Tshabalala is leaving Kaizer Chiefs to join Turkish Super Lig side BB Erzurumspor.
“‘Shabba’‚ as the Sowetoborn [player] is known‚ has made a fantastic contribution to Amakhosi over the years and will take his place among the legends of the club.” –