Chiefs coach does trophy talk, can he do the walk?
For Kaizer Chiefs supporters, listening to coach Giovanni Solinas (above) talking this week would have felt like listening to a loved one whispering sweet nothings in your ear.
Giovanni Solinas coach of Kaizer Chiefs during Kaizer Chiefs Press Conference at PSL Offices (Pic Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix)
The Italian did the trophy talk so well, insisting he knew the moment he set foot at the club’s village in Naturena that he had no choice but to win trophies.
He did the talk so well, making some amusing gestures during a media conference at the Premier Soccer League’s offices on Thursday afternoon. He surely can do the talking, but whether he can walk the talk remains to be seen.
Solinas was his usual jolly and animated self this week and even made the famous “love and peace” sign as he validated a certain point ahead of tomorrow’s Telkom Knockout last-16 match against Black Leopards at the FNB Stadium.
But deep down inside the Italian will know that only a win will ensure a jolly mood for the legions of Amakhosi supporters after the match.
It has been a full three seasons since the Glamour Boys lifted an official trophy and have already missed out on the MTN8, but to be fair to Solinas, he had just arrived at the club when the tournament was played and he had not had time to stamp his authority on the team.
But that will count for nothing with the supporters especially if tomorrow’s result is unfavourable to them. Solinas, however, took a different view of the situation.
“This is my second Telkom Knockout participation. The first one was when I was coach at Free State Stars. We got to the semifinal and we lost to Cape Town City. I have to improve on that,” he said.
Judging by his talk, Solinas knows very well that his stay at Naturena Village will be hugely determined by the number of trophies he wins.
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