Solinas can finally get down to business
Giovanni Solinas is an aggressive coach who strives for perfection and wants to win‚ Kaizer Chiefs defender Ramahlwe Mphahlele has said.
Mphahlele played down the impact that Solinas’s late ar rival – three-and-a-half weeks into the pre-season‚ as Chiefs struggled to appoint a new head coach – might have on Amakhosi’s season.
Solinas finally received his work permit on Tuesday‚ mean ing the 50-year-old Italian will take his place on the bench in Amakhosi’s Absa Premiership 2018-19 season opener against Mamelodi Sundowns at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
“He wants to do things the way he wants and for the team to play the way he wants‚ ” said Mphahlele.
“So it’s difficult. Change is not easy‚ especially at the begin ning.
“But we are adapting. We are doing everything in our power. We’re trying to work with him to say ‘OK‚ this can be done‚ this can’t be done’.
“We are working very hard. Especially off the pitch where we have to try and iron out little things.
“It takes time. It’s a new era. We lost our coach last season‚ now it’s a new coach. We have to try and get to a high level.
“But he’s a very aggressive coach. He wants perfection. He wants us to work hard. He wants us to change the mentali ty.”
Solinas’s late arrival means the ex-Free State Stars coach will have had an effective three weeks to implement his style.
Mphahlele said he hopes that setback can be balanced out by Chiefs’ players hunger to make up for their past three trophyless seasons .
Chiefs have a tough opening two matches‚ following up their trip to Pretoria by hosting 201617 PSL champions Bid vest Wits at FNB Stadium next week Tuesday. — DDC