CT City coach Tinkler tries to keep players grounded after Sundowns win
Cape Town City might just have beaten champions Mamelodi Sundowns away but coach Eric Tinkler says Wednesday’s Absa Premiership match with Bloemfontein Celtic is their most important yet of their inaugural season. Two goals from Lebogang Manyama saw new boys City upset Sundowns 2-1 away in Pretoria on Sunday‚ but Tinkler insists that is all forgotten.“For me‚ this game against Celtic is our biggest game of the season‚ without a shadow of doubt‚ because‚ as I explained to the payers‚ we can move to 14 points."We could find ourselves by Thursday lying second or third. It is a fantastic opportunity.“If we lose‚ then all that work we did on Sunday is meaningless‚” said the coach.Downs wilt as City heat up in CapitalMamelodi Sundowns wilted in Pretoria's fierce heat yesterday going down 2-1 to a well-drilled Cape Town City side. Tinkler warned that Celtic would be dangerous after firing coach Serame Letsoaka at the weekend.“You don’t know now what you are going to face.“Maybe their new coach inspires the players; they want to prove something to the club‚ to the owners‚ to the new coach."It is always a dangerous time to play a team that has just lost its coach. You don’t know what to expect.Sundowns, Chiefs and Pirates handed home draws for TKO quarterfinalThe so-called ‘big guns’ all received home draws in the quarterfinals of the Telkom Knockout with defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns to face SuperSport United in a mouth-watering Tshwane Derby. "They might come out with a completely different formation‚ a completely different line-up. You’ve got to be more prepared than what you would be ordinarily.”City beat Celtic a fortnight ago in the first round of the Telkom Knockout‚ scoring two extra time goals.“If we sat down after that game and did an analysis of where their weaknesses and strengths were‚ it could all be useless because they now could come with something completely different‚” said Tinkler.City will be without injured Robyn Johannes‚ giving Thato Mokeke a chance again in the backline‚ while Matthew Sim is still a week away from returning after suffering an ankle injury in the last game against Celtic. - TMG Digital..
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