Latest news with #DillanSolomons
The South African
29-05-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Kaizer Chiefs need to strengthen these THREE positions
Kaizer Chiefs aren't a million miles away from becoming a top-eight side again. Where should the Nedbank Cup champions strengthen? Every man and his dog knows that Chiefs are in the market to find a reliable goal-getter. The problem? This knowledge will drive prices up. Dillan Solomons and Reeve Frosler have done an adequate job on the right side of defence, but the Glamour Boys want to upgrade. It's been a while since Amakhosi had a high-volume midfield maestro they could rely on to dictate the tempo. Kingsley Michael is still only 25, but the Nigerian midfield orchestrator has already been around the block. His club career has seen him enjoy stints across Europe. First in Italy with Bologna, Perugia, Cremonese and Reggina. Then, spells with SV Ried and DSV Leoben in Austria. Now he's on the books of Monastir in Tunisia. Surprisingly, he's only earned one cap for Nigeria's Super Eagles. Click for more on Michael Kingsley Michael in action for US Monastir in Tunisia. Image: Goal Let us know by leaving a comment below or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Also, subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
24-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Kaizer Chiefs' PSL top-eight failure, after being held by Polokwane City, ranks high in yet another Amakhosi catastrophe
Dillan Solomons Kaizer Chiefs wing-back Dillan Solomons keeps Bonginkosi Dlamini of Polokwane City at bay at the FNB Stadium. Photo: BackpagePix Image: BackpagePix In a gripping testament to the struggles faced by South Africa's most storied football club, Kaizer Chiefs' failure to clinch a top-eight spot for the second consecutive year has reverberated through the country's football community. This catastrophe is not merely an incidental occurrence for Chiefs; it raises critical questions about the team's future direction and competency at management levels. Their goalless draw with Polokwane City at the FNB Stadium on Saturday was their final game of the season. The outcome condemned the Amakhosi, with their ninth-place log position, to top-eight obscurity. Their lesser-fancied opponents, Polokwane, eased into seventh place to earn a top-eight ticket, and they will likely face Orlando Pirates in the first round of the MTN8 next season. Chiefs showcased their dominance from the first whistle to control the tempo and direction. However, as often happened this season, they struggled to translate their possession into meaningful opportunities on the back of a 77% advantage. Dillan Solomons, Chiefs' wing-back, operating down the right channel, proved penetrative on occasions and came close to scoring after attempting a goal-mouth cross. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading He was sent clear by defensive midfielder Sibongiseni Mthethwa in the 20th minute, and his parting shot took a wicked deflection and struck the upright. Polokwane's Kenyan goalkeeper Brian Bwire averted danger by clearing the rebound. Polokwane, however, seemed content to absorb Chiefs' pressure, adopting a resolute defensive stance that forced the Amakhosi to attempt shots at range. Their transitions from defence to attack were fluid, and just past the hour mark, they missed a golden opportunity to open the scoring after briefly taking control of the midfield. Mokibelo Ramabo's kick low across the face of the Chiefs' goal-mouth was missed by the defence, and an unmarked Bonginkosi Dlamini found himself in prime position to score with what would have been a simple tap-in. Instead, he hashed his attempt under the weight of expectation. With Polokwane's midfield growing in confidence as the first half wore on, they created sustained pressure without threatening again. Chiefs shook off this stranglehold with a swift counter-attack that looked promising after defender Edmilson Dove executed a powerful header from outside the box following a set-piece situation. Dove's header struck the crossbar. In a move that took many by surprise, Chiefs' Tunisian coach Nabi Nasreddine Nabi opted for a tactical change by substituting striker Tashreeq Morris for Ashley du Preez just five minutes before the halftime break. This decision, aimed at boosting the team's attacking threat, highlighted Nabi's intent to add significant firepower to the team's attack in the second half. As the second half wore on, the strategic substitution optimised the team's performance. The Glamour Boys launched a relentless offensive, testing the resolve of the Polokwane defence. However, despite unleashing a flurry of shots at goal, Chiefs failed to find the back of the net, narrowly missing several opportunities. There was no shortage of scoring opportunities for the home side late in the match, and the eventual goalless fare has raised urgent questions about strategic decisions and management competency within the club.
IOL News
22-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Dillan Solomons urges Kaizer Chiefs to channel cup mentality to end their PSL woes
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. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ 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.'
The South African
22-05-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Kaizer Chiefs player on Nasreddine Nabi news
Kaizer Chiefs full-back Dillan Solomons has offered his take on the speculation regarding coach Nasreddine Nabi's future. According to recent reports, Nabi may be dismissed despite leading the team to their first trophy in a decade. Meanwhile, Kaizer Chiefs defender Solomons feels that such rumours have zero impact on the team. 'People have been talking, but there's nothing we can do about the people who're talking,' Solomons said via Sowetan . 'We just have to do what we can do and that's coming to training every day and putting in the work, showing the coach that we are here to work and that's all we can do. The speedy Kaizer Chiefs star added: 'We can only control what we can control and if people are going to talk outside, that's their opinion. We will see, we don't know what's going on. 'You can categorise it [the game against Polokwane] as one of the biggest games of the season. It's like a cup final for us. We know how important this game is,' Solomons concluded. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
TimesLIVE
21-05-2025
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
Not making top eight will be a disaster, says Chiefs' Solomons
Dillan Solomons believes it will be a disaster for Kaizer Chiefs to fail to make the top eight for the second successive season if they don't win their last Betway Premiership match against Polokwane City at the FNB Stadium on Saturday. Amakhosi finished in their worst-ever position when they ended 10th in the league last season, but despite winning the Nedbank Cup after beating their Soweto archrivals Orlando Pirates 1-0 in the final in Durban on May 10, Solomons insisted on Wednesday victory over Polokwane will be vital for their plans for next season. "Obviously we had goals for the season, and we haven't reached them in the league and for us that's a downwards. Winning the Nedbank Cup, it's been fantastic and it's something we've been trying to achieve for a long time," said Solomons, who has been a regular at right back in recent games after recovering from an injury that kept him out of the team at the start of the season. Getting to the top eight will be complicated if Chiefs don't win at home on Saturday. Polokwane, Chippa United, Marumo Gallants and Richards Bay will also be looking for points to ensure they play in the MTN8 at the start of next season.
