‘Why three seasons without a trophy?’ - Kaizer Chiefs coach Solinas

Kaizer Chiefs’ failure to win a trophy in the last three seasons has been the dominant thought on new coach Giovanni Solinas’ mind and the Italian conceded that he will be under a considerable amount of pressure to exorcise this demon on Saturday.

Chiefs host Free State Stars in a potentially tricky MTN8 quarterfinals at FNB Stadium on Saturday night and Solinas is well aware that he will go into this game with his back against the wall after his side’s 3-1 home defeat to BidVest Wits in the league on Tuesday night.

‘‘About the pressure‚ every coach‚ every player that comes here to Kaizer Chiefs needs to understand‚ needs to accept that pressure‚” the 50-year-old Solinas said.

‘‘Our job is to close the pressure because this is a big club that has got high expectations from the fans. We need to manage this pressure for the positive.

‘‘If this pressure puts you in trouble‚ then this is a big problem. You need to exploit this pressure for motivation, to motivate (the players).

‘‘Yes, for a team like Kaizer Chiefs to go three seasons without a trophy, it is a problem. But me and my technical staff and the players we talk about it together and we try to solve this situation.

‘‘We ask ourselves why three seasons without a trophy? Where is the problem? What can we do to improve? What can we do to fix this? Yes‚ yes‚ we work in this direction.

‘‘We must solve this situation because this season the club needs a trophy. I don’t know which trophy but this season we need to win a trophy.”

Chiefs conceded four goals in their last two matches — 1-1 draw against Mamelodi Sundowns and 3-1 defeat to Wits — and Solinas admitted that his rearguard was giving him sleepless nights.

‘‘In my opinion for a team like Kaizer Chiefs‚ conceding four goals (in two matches) is too much‚” he said.

‘‘Normally we do not concede (so many goals) but it has happened.

‘‘Yes‚ one goal came from a penalty (in the 1-1 draw against Sundowns last week) and perhaps this is not a serious problem.

‘‘But conceding three goals in the last game (against Wits)‚ yes this needs fixing because at Kaizer Chiefs it is not possible to concede three goals in every game because we have good defenders.

‘‘But in my opinion we must not rely on only the defenders to defend‚ we need the other department‚ the midfield and the strikers‚ to work hard for the defenders.

‘‘We need to improve this situation because it’s not good for Kaizer Chiefs to concede three goals in a game.”

Full MTN8 fixtures

Saturday

Mamelodi Sundowns vs Lamontville Golden Arrows at Lucas Moripe Stadium (3pm)

Kaizer Chiefs vs Free State Stars at FNB Stadium (6pm)

Orlando Pirates vs SuperSport United at Orlando Stadium (8:30pm)

Sunday

Maritzburg United vs Cape Town City at Harry Gwala Stadium (3pm)