GIOVANNI Solinas returns to Goble Park for the first time in two years as Kaizer Chiefs tackle Free State Stars in the only Absa Premiership fixture tonight (7.30pm).
The Chiefs coach will certainly not be on a friendly visit to Bethlehem.
Solinas quit Stars at the end of the 2016-17 season, citing “family reasons” for his shocking decision after he’d been in the job for six months. It remains unclear whether he was pushed from his position or jumped.
But the Italian could push his former team further into trouble at the bottom of the standings tonight.Second from bottom in the Absa Premiership table with four points, Luc Eymael’s charges have had a bad start to the season.
Solinas has not had it easy either as Amakhosi battled to fire.
Yet they have found form, hammering Cape Town City FC 4-1 with a swashbuckling performance away in their last match.
The win, Amakhosi’s first in the league in six matches, lifted them up to fifth in the table with seven points.
“The best of Kaizer Chiefs is still to come,” said Solinas.
“We used the Fifa international break to fix a lot of areas. The boys worked hard. I am happy with my team. Lebo (Manyama) played well. From the bench to the field of play, the spirit is great and the supporters play a big part. We thank them for the encouragement.”
His boys will definitely need some encouragement when they face the struggling Ea Lla Koto.
The brilliance of last season has been replaced with sluggish performances.
But many would back Eymael to find a way out of choppy waters for his team, the Belgian having demonstrated his tactical astuteness as he achieved great success on a shoe-string budget last season.
- Chiefs, meanwhile, could find themselves in trouble with the PSL after their fans forced their way into the Cape Town Stadium during their historic 4-1 win against the Citizens.
Hundreds of fans overpowered security and jump over the turnstiles or crawled through underneath.
