Bullish mood
Kaizer Chiefs boss ‘not afraid’ of Orlando Pirates
Kaizer Chiefs coach Giovanni Solinas is in a bullish mood and has declared that he is not afraid of any team.
For “any team”‚ read Orlando Pirates.
Chiefs will play Pirates in the semifinal of the Telkom Knockout and the Amakhosi mentor cast himself in the role of the Fearless One soon after the draw at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium on Sunday.
Chiefs beat SuperSport United 1-0 to advance to the last four.
No sooner had the dust settled on the draw‚ than Solinas informed all and sundry that he was not scared of Pirates.
“If my team perform like today‚ me I no fear any team. It is clear the message, yes‚” Solinas declared.
“You can’t predict the derby, [it] is open to every result.
“But now this derby we are more confidentbecause now the key players are improving their fitness. When we have our squad available it is different.
“Yes‚ it is a difficult game‚ difficult because derby is derby. Pirates are a strong team but if my team perform like today‚ I [don’t] fear anything‚” he said.
Asked whether he would like the semifinal played at the Moses Mabhida Stadium‚ he stuck to his fearless script.
“I don’t know‚ but if my team perform like they did today‚ me I don’t fear anything. “It is clear the message‚ yes. “I repeat‚ if my team play‚ perform like today, I no fear any team.”
This is a man who saw his side slip to a 2-1 defeat to the Sea Robbers a fortnight ago in a match in which many observers felt Chiefs were flattered by the scoreline.
Reflecting on the quarterfinal win over United‚ Solinas said he was happy with how his players reacted after the Soweto derby setback.
“SuperSport are a very strong team‚ good players‚ fighting‚ physically very strong.
“They have players who play together for a long time.
“But I am happy because the first half we play beautiful football. Second, we take the reaction under control.”
‘I don’t know‚ but if my team perform like they did today‚ me I don’t fear anything. It is clear the message‚ yes. I repeat‚ if my team play‚ perform like today, I no fear any team’ Giovanni Solinas
KAIZER CHIEFS COACH