AFTER the disappointment of the NEdbank Cup, Eric Tinkler has nothing left than to encourage his Sekhukhune United side to chase their best possible position on the Premiership table.
Image: Itumeleng English/ Independent Newspapers
ERIC TINKLER might have been severely disappointed at being knocked out of the Nedbank Cup he had hoped to win, but the coach of Sekhukhune United was full of pride about his team’s performances in that defeat by Milford FC via the shoot-out from the penalty spot.
There is thus unlikely to be any hangover for Ba Bina Noko when they host Polokwane City in a Limpopo derby at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday (6pm). If anything, Tinkler’s men will be emboldened by their showing in the 2-2 draw as they dominated their lower league opposition.
Intent on ensuring that Sekhukhune United return to continental football, the former Bafana Bafana midfielder would no doubt have spent all week encouraging his players and cajoling them to forget about the cup defeat and focus on striving to hold on to the third place they occupy on the Betway Premiership table.
After all he’d already lauded them even in defeat at the post match conference, local football’s most famous ginger evidently a believer that the shoot-out is a lottery and focusing on how his team performed in the 90 minutes plus extra time.
“I'm very, very happy with the performance that our boys put on tonight. I think they were exceptional. I don't think we've played like that since the break. So, I am very proud of them, the effort that they put in. Yeah, heartbreaking for them but I am very, very proud of their performance.”
They will need to deliver that performance and then ensure they score more goals than their opponent Polokwane City to leave Tinkler purring as he did last weekend.
It won’t be easy though, not with City looking to move up the table to ensure they secure a top eight finish.
Phuti Mohafe’s team also go into the match on the back of a 2-1 defeat by Orlando Pirates, but — like Tinkler — the young coach is sure to have taken a lot of positives out of that match as his team held their own against Pirates. As if the derby needed further spicing up.
If things are looking up for these two teams, the same cannot be said for their fellow Limpopo team, Magesi FC.
The former Carling Knockout champions are in danger of a return to the Motsepe Foundation Championship after just two seasons in the top flight as they prop up the 16-team table, five points behind 15-th-placed Orbit College.
With just 11 matches to go, Magesi have to beat Chippa United who visit them at Seshego Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Yet chances of that happening are slim and none, for Magesi will have to end an 11 match winless streak that dates back to October.
New coach Allan Freese, who replaced John Maduka recently, is yet to prove himself as the savior the club described him to be.
Magesi will, however, take some comfort from the fact they got a point at Chippa in the first round and will count on their home fans to rouse them to victory this time around.