Free State Stars are back in the international market as they seek a new coach and have already opened negotiations with prospective candidates.Stars general manager Rantsi Mokoena says time is on their side and they will make sure they have the right man for the job before committing.Stars have to find a replacement for Italian Gianni Solinas who unexpectedly left at the end of the recently ended Premier Soccer League season.Stars coach quits to fix family affairs in ItalyGiovanni Solinas quit Free State Stars in a surprise move yesterday after the two parties could not agree on the amount of time the coach would be given to sort out personal issues in his native Italy during the off season. Mokoena has been hard at work and has already interviewed several prospective candidates.“I have had two guys on the shortlist so far‚ they are both from Europe and I have interviewed them both. At the moment it is a question of negotiations but the process is still on going and ultimately we will be looking for the best possible candidate for the job‚” he said.“The best case scenario is to have it all done by the end of the week but I’ll also be traveling‚ so if it doesn’t happen‚ then I will hope to finish it off next week. But if another strong candidate emerges then we will see. “Whatever happens‚ we will have a coach for when the players come back on July 4.”The departure of Solinas came as a shock and a setback to Stars. The Italian said he had to return home for family reasons some six months after taking the place of German Ernst Middendorp.Last season Stars went through three coaches with Kinnah Phiri first to be fired. Phiri was replaced by Middendorp‚ who led a revival but then suddenly dropped Stars to go back to Maritzburg in a lucrative deal.Solinas took over and led Stars to a 12th place finish at the end of the season last month. Sars also managed to reach the semifinal of the Nedbank Cup.Mokoena said Solinas’ assistant Bradley Carnell is staying at the club and will assist the incoming manager.- TMG Digital..