Dillan Solomons urges Kaizer Chiefs to channel cup mentality to end their PSL woes

IOL News

22-05-2025

Dillan Solomons Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi discusses tactics with Dillan Solomons. Photo: BackpagePix
Image: BackpagePix
Kaizer Chiefs' turbulent 2024/25 Premiership campaign will conclude when they take on Polokwane City at FNB Stadium on Saturday (3pm kick-off).
It's been a season filled with setbacks for the Soweto giants, but despite their struggles, a place in the top eight is still within reach going into the weekend's decisive clash.
Chiefs' MTN8 and league triumphs in the 2014/15 season ironically marked the beginning of their decline, opening the floodgates to what has become one of the club's most challenging eras.
Last season, they missed out on a top-eight finish, and failed to qualify for the MTN8 – and they'll be desperate to avoid a repeat this time around.
The league has been just as difficult this season.
The last time Amakhosi lifted the PSL title was under Stuart Baxter in that same 2014/15 season, and this year's campaign has brought little to celebrate, raising more questions than answers.
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Dillan Solomons, who has seen regular action under coach Nasreddine Nabi, knows just how much is riding on Saturday's clash.
'You can categorise it as one of the biggest games this season, and it's like a cup final to us,' said Solomons.
'The last three games have been like cup finals to us.
'We know how important this game is, and we have to go in there knowing we need to get the maximum points that are available to us.'
Despite Nabi leading the side to their first piece of silverware in nearly 10 years in the Nedbank Cup, the Tunisian coach has come under scrutiny, particularly for his performances in the league since taking charge at the start of the season – including the pre-season preparations.
Solomons, who has been one of the brighter performers under the Tunisian mentor, addressed the ongoing speculation around the coach's future, stating that the players prefer to let their football do the talking.
'People have been talking, but there is nothing we can do about that,' he continued
'We just have to do what we can do, which is coming to training every day and putting in the work, and showing the coach that we are here to work.
'We can only control what we can control, and if people are going to talk outside, that is their opinion.
'We will see; we don't know what is going on.
'All we can do is come here and put in the work.'
Amakhosi head into their clash against Rise and Shine winless in eight matches, but despite their dismal league form, they have shown flashes of their true potential in cup competitions – most notably their run to the Nedbank Cup final.
That journey included impressive victories over Stellenbosch FC (3-1), Mamelodi Sundowns (2-1), and Orlando Pirates (2-1) – the current top three teams in the league.
Solomons believes the key to reversing their league fortunes lies in adopting the same mindset they've carried into knockout football.
'It's a mentality thing,' Solomons explained.
'Playing cup and league games is totally different.
'In cup games, you know you have to win, and we have to take that mentality of cup games into league games, because I think it will get better for us in that sense.
'I do not think there was any team that could compare to us in cup games because we have gone all out.
'But in the league games, it's more of a patience thing for us, and if we can use the cup mentality, it will work for us.'