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Solinas wants to steer Kaizer Chiefs back in to Africa's top 5 clubs

Kaizer Chiefs players with coach Giovanni Solinas during the Telkom Knockout Last 16 match Kaizer Chiefs and Black Leopards at FNB Stadium on October 21, 2018 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Kaizer Chiefs players with coach Giovanni Solinas during the Telkom Knockout Last 16 match Kaizer Chiefs and Black Leopards at FNB Stadium on October 21, 2018 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Image: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images

Kaizer Chiefs should be in the top five-ranked clubs in Africa‚ not their current 18th‚ Amakhosi coach Giovanni Solinas has said ahead of Saturday’s Telkom Knockout semifinal against Orlando Pirates at Moses Mabhida Stadium.

Ahead of his second Soweto derby in his maiden season with Chiefs – the first of which the Italian lost 2-1 in the Absa Premiership at FNB Stadium on October 27 – Solinas pointed out that historically Amakhosi have the clear advantage in the great game.

He also pointed out that history counts for nothing on the day in the unpredictable derby‚ where even recent form usually counts for nothing.

“The derby has been played 164 times‚ Chiefs have won 67‚ Pirates have won 40‚ 52 have been drawn [plus five games abandoned]‚” Solinas said.

“So the history is for Kaizer Chiefs. But the history for the newest game counts for nothing.

“This is a new game‚ a new derby‚ the past counts for nothing. So we need to continue to make history for Chiefs. This is our responsibility.

“We feel this responsibility. I feel this responsibility.

“Because I am coaching a very big club‚ and I want to continue to make history for Chiefs‚ to work hard to make our supporters happy.

“I know that Chiefs are coming from three difficult seasons. But I can say that this [current] Chiefs are a good project for the future.

“I am sure that Chiefs are coming back and can win trophies. Because Chiefs deserve to win trophies‚ and our fans deserve for us to win trophies.

“Chiefs are now 18th in the Fifa rankings of African clubs. And this is not position for Chiefs.

“Chiefs need to be in the top five. And we are working hard to try to put Chiefs in the top five.”

The website Footballdatabase.com ranks Chiefs at 18th in Africa‚ and 338th in the world.

Their highest-ranked South African club are Mamelodi Sundowns‚ at 13th and 274th in the world.

The website ranks Pirates at 23rd in Africa and 390th in the world.

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