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.  

Polokwane will keep themselves in the top eight if they play a draw against Chiefs, but Amakhosi may not have such luck if Gallants beat Magesi and Richards Bay beat SuperSport United in their last matches.

Chippa have finished their season and are occupying the eighth spot on 31 points and ahead of Chiefs and Gallants on goal difference.

Bay, positioned 11th with 30 points, may jump into the top eight if they beat relegation-threatened SuperSport and have other results going their way.   

"For us to get in the top eight will mean we've had a successful season. Not getting in the top eight, I wouldn't say it's not successful, but it's not what we want. We want to be in every competition next season,"  Solomons said.

"That was the goal, to try and get into the top eight, get into Caf and try to win a trophy. That's what we were aiming for. For us, not getting into the top eight will be a disaster." 

With coach Nasreddine Nabi having ensured Chiefs will play in the Caf Confederations Cup next season by winning the Nedbank Cup, some will view qualifying for the top eight as no longer vital for Chiefs.

Solomons was asked if reports of Nabi possibly leaving at the end of the season, especially if he doesn't attain the top-eight spot, has in way affected the players. Nabi has been under pressure to improve Chiefs from the day he joined the club in July last year.

"Obviously people have been talking,"  Solomons said of Nabi's future at Chiefs. "But there's nothing we can do. We have to do what we can do. That's coming to training every day and putting in the work and showing the coach we're here to work.

"That's all that we can do. We can only control what we can control and if people are going to talk outside, that's their opinion and we'll see."

For a number of players, including defender Edmilson Dove and midfielder George Matlou, Saturday's game presents another opportunity to convince the club to extend their stays at Naturena.

So far midfielder Yusuf Maart, right back Reeve Frosler and striker Ashley du Preez are reported to have been assured of their contract extension beyond June.

Nabi has not hidden the fact that he would want to see the club going into the market to reinforce the squad with players he believes will fit into his philosophy.