Baxter prepares to face a colleague he has great admiration for in the TKO final

09 December 2016 - 12:20 By Mninawa Ntloko
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Steward Baxter.
Steward Baxter.
Image: GALLO IMAGES

Cape Town City coach Eric Tinkler has numerous admirers and one of his biggest fans will be in the opposing dugout when his charges line up against SuperSport United in the final of the Telkom Knockout at Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on Saturday.

United coach Stuart Baxter revealed in the build-up to the showdown that he is a Tinkler fan‚ but given what will be at stake in Polokwane‚ the City coach will do well to remain focussed and not allow the praise to go to his head.

City were launched exactly 162 days ago and Baxter said he is not surprised that not only has Tinkler led the club to the Telkom Knockout final‚ but the newcomers are also top of the premiership standings.

‘‘I am not surprised because I think Eric is one of the young coaches in this country that has got a bright future isn’t he?‚” Baxter said.

‘‘He has done a lot and I thought he really did a good job when he was at (Orlando) Pirates. I think whenever you talk to him about the game he knows what he is talking about.

‘‘He has got belief in what he is doing. He has come to an open book now with Cape Town City. It is like a new start for him and for them.

‘‘They have found each other nicely. So I think Eric is going to continue to do that. I think he is a good young coach.”

City are in the midst of glorious purple patch and Tinkler has managed to mould them into a formidable unit within a very short period.

Saturday’s final will give Tinkler an opportunity to get his own back on Baxter as he was the coach of the losing side when a Baxter-led United beat Pirates 3-2 in the final of the Nedbank Cup in May.

He will hope his move from Pirates to City during the PSL off-season will bring a change in fortune as the Bucs stumbled in the last hurdle and lost in the finals of the Confederation Cup and the Nedbank Cup with him at the helm.

Tinkler did taste success in cup competitions as an assistant coach and won the Nedbank Cup with Bidvest Wits under head coach Roger de Sa in 2010‚ and again with Pirates under the combustible Vladimir Vermezovic in 2014.

The City coach will go to Polokwane with some reservations as he is not happy that the Telkom Knockout final will be played at Peter Mokaba Stadium‚ the same venue that hosted the Nedbank Bank final he lost in May and against the selfsame opposition.

“I don’t know how ‘neutral’ it is‚ to be honest‚” complained Tinkler this week.

“I’m not entirely happy with the venue because I think it is difficult for us and our fans‚ the trip we have to make to get there.”

The two coaches claimed this week that their most influential players — Lehlohonolo Majoro for City‚ and Jeremy Brockie and Bradley Grobler for United — are doubtful starters and could miss the game through injury.

But the nation’s soccer lovers can be pardoned if they are skeptical and prefer to wait for the singing of the national anthem at Peter Mokaba to confirm whether these players will really miss the encounter.

‘‘Jeremy is a probable and Bradley is a possible. I think they can both change to not at all‚ but at the moment that is where they are‚” claimed Baxter.

“(Majoro) is injured and won’t be available for the final‚” Tinkler retorted.

We will know soon enough if this is indeed the case. — TMG Digital

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