Solinas will even switch off lights at night at Kaizer Chiefs‚ says former colleague Carnell

New Kaizer Chiefs coach Giovanni Solinas’s former assistant-coach at Free State Stars‚ Bradley Carnell‚ says given time the workaholic and intelligent Italian can be a success at Amakhosi.

Carnell recognised that Solinas walks into a tough situation at Chiefs‚ where‚ after Steve Komphela’s three years of rebuilding without a trophy‚ the coach is under pressure for silverware.

And Solinas has only ever won one notable trophy‚ the North African Cup Winners Cup with ES Setif in 2010.

Ex-Bafana Bafana star Carnell echoed the recent sentiment by Stars’ general manager Rantsi Mokoena to TimesLIVE that Solinas is a workaholic.

“Listen‚ I think you have to look at his values as a coach and what he believes in‚” Carnell said.

“He’s very structured‚ very organised‚ very disciplined. We were the first guys in the office at Free State Stars and we were the last guys who switched off the lights.

“In terms of effort‚ planning‚ daily logistics‚ we managed to make do with the platform that we had.

“I think it’s very difficult to compare [to Chiefs]. We had everything we needed at Stars‚ we had a great little setup there.

“But just in terms of budgetary numbers and the stature of the club‚ compared to Chiefs with a magnificent facility – I think at Stars Giovanni made do with what he had.

“He got guys working with the second team‚ and with youngsters like Nyiko Mobbie‚ giving them a fresh look. And players like Lucky Mohomi have gone on to do very well.

“In terms of player development and player guidance I think we did a great job.

“There are higher demands at Chiefs. But in terms of qualifications Giovanni has all that’s required to run a club.

“I’ve seen him work in the flesh. And from the tactical point of view we got the nickname of ‘The Italian Job’‚ in terms of being structured and giving bigger teams with bigger budgets a run for their money.

“He was able to read opponents pretty well and he transferred that to the players well. He took control of a lot of things in terms of what he wanted to see on the field‚ whether it was from the fitness coaches‚ the assistants.

"He was able to delegate and we were able to implement.

“Now he comes to a club now where he’s got great people involved. In the setup‚ he’s got all the stats and the data guys right on his doorstep.

“The question is‚ has he been given the best possible chance to succeed? Has he been given the best timeframe to succeed?”

Current New York Red Bulls assistant Carnell provides an interesting perspective on Solinas’s arrival at Chiefs.

He worked with Solinas at Stars in the 2015-16 season when they reached the Nedbank Cup semifinals and ended 12th in the Absa Premiership.

Carnell also has a taste of what it is to coach at a big club having worked as Muhsin Ertugral’s assistant at Orlando Pirates.

He also knows intimately what a big club Chiefs are‚ having played there in the 1990s.

Carnell also worked with some top global coaches in a 12-year playing career in Germany’s Bundesliga.

“I mean only time will tell. But I know Giovanni is going to take it and run with it‚” the former left-back said.

“And if he manages to sort out the style and the system he wants‚ and he has the players in the pool in terms of implementing his style‚ it could work.

“Listen‚ it’s going to be a tough one to start.

"But in terms of his capacity‚ he will do everything.

"He will switch off the lights at night. He’s a very proud man.”