REVEALED | Why gatvol Kaizer Chiefs finally decided to show Giovanni Solinas the door

11 December 2018 - 12:12 By Marc Strydom
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Kaizer Chiefs football manager Bobby Motaung speaks to the media during a press conference at their base in Naturena, south of Johannesburg, on Monday December 10 2018.
Kaizer Chiefs football manager Bobby Motaung speaks to the media during a press conference at their base in Naturena, south of Johannesburg, on Monday December 10 2018.
Image: Mninawa Ntloko

Kaizer Chiefs’ defeat against amateur part-timers from Zanzibar Zimamoto FC was the final straw for the club ahead of their axing of Giovanni Solinas as head coach last week‚ Amakhosi’s football manager Bobby Motaung has revealed.

While the wording‚ not unusually‚ was that Chiefs and Solinas had “amicably parted ways”‚ Solinas was effectively dismissed on Friday‚ and replaced within hours by Ernst Middendorp.

Zimamoto do not even compete in Tanzania’s main Premier League.

They play in the Premier League of the semi-autonomous Tanzanian island of Zanzibar.

Chiefs hammered the hapless islanders 5-1 in the first leg at FNB Stadium‚ but at Amari Stadium in Zanzibar City on Tuesday last week lost 2-1.

Motaung said Chiefs’ unconvincing results before that game had already seen the club in contact with Middendorp.

“The last straw was obviously the last result we got‚ and last performance we got last week in Tanzania. But the plan was there before the last game‚” Chiefs’ football manager said.

“We’ve been assessing the team and doing everything. The only thing was the candidate.

“We were looking at the person who we wanted to bring on board. And obviously to do that you don’t just do a thumb suck.

“We had to review again‚ and do our own analysis again that we normally do when we appoint coaches.

“We thought we needed somebody‚ also‚ who’s got the knowledge of the team‚ who’s got the experience here‚ and who’s got the pedigree of Ernst for the type of players we’ve got.”

Kaizer Chiefs Football Manager Bobby Motaung in a discussion with head coach Giovanni Solinas during the Telkom Knockout match against Black Leopards at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on October 21, 2018.
Kaizer Chiefs Football Manager Bobby Motaung in a discussion with head coach Giovanni Solinas during the Telkom Knockout match against Black Leopards at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on October 21, 2018.
Image: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix

Motaung said Chiefs had been in contact with their former coach Middendorp – working as technical director for Bangkok United in Thailand‚ but a Johannesburg resident – for about two weeks previous to the 60-year-old German’s appointment.

“We’ve been reviewing and assessing the performances of the team and the challenges that we’ve had‚” he said.

“And two weeks ago we started engaging with him – Ernst – and finally he came through last week.

“And the final deal was to settle the previous coach‚ to finalise with him and then get Middendorp on board on Friday.”

Middendorp‚ who began training Chiefs on Saturday‚ faces his first assignment against SuperSport United at Mbombela Stadium on Wednesday night (kickoff 7.30pm).

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