Tinkler shares idea on how Chiefs, Pirates & Co. can bring Downs to their knees

Published on by Willis Sob

Masandawana have won seven league titles in a row and have been tipped to secure another one this season owing to their quality.

Mamelodi Sundowns have won nine out of the last 11 Premier Soccer League crowns in South Africa.

The Soweto giants – Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates, have struggled to match Masandawana. Last season, Bucs finished second with 50 points, 23 less than the champions while the Glamour Boys finished a distant 10th, their worst-ever conclusion in the top tier.

Cape Town City coach Eric Tinkler is adamant all the other teams in the South African top-flight football can work harder to match the Brazilians.

Chiefs, Pirates challenged to raise their level

“We have to raise the level. Sundowns are walking with leagues at the moment [but] all of us – Pirates, Chiefs, everybody, have to raise the level,” the tactician said in a presser.

“But it’s not us as coaches only. Yes, we as coaches have to raise the level, but the ones who perform on the field are not us, it’s the players. They’re going to have to raise their game.

Gaston Sirino 1
Gaston Sirino, Image – Kaizer Chiefs

“You want to put bums in seats, you want to compete against Sundowns, you’ve got to raise your level individually. So that has been the message that we’ve been relaying to players who have that talent, like Jaedin [Rhodes],” Tinkler added.

Fans warned about making players superstars on social media

The 54-year-old further urged the players to up their game and cautioned supporters against overpraising individuals which might negatively impact them.

“Right at the beginning of the season, we spoke to the players and we said, every day at training, think about 1% more. Every day that I come in, can I add 1% more? 1% more to my effort, 1% more to my work attitude, 1% in terms of my tactical approach to the game,” Tinkler continued.

“Today in social media, it’s so easy to put someone up there and make them superstars, and sometimes it’s too soon. They need to stay grounded.”

The Citizens started their 2024/25 domestic campaign with a 1-0 win over Sekhukhune United in the MTN8 quarter-final and will play Pirates in a two-legged semi-final. The first meeting is scheduled for next week.

Tinkler shares idea on how Chiefs, Pirates & Co. can bring Downs to their knees

Willis Sob

Willis Sob is an experienced journalist who has been in the game since 2009, covering major assignments around the continent.
His hunger for African football is unmatched, always getting the best angles and facts to feed the fans and quench their thirst.