Tinkler says confidence is now in short supply at Cape Town City

Setbacks for high-flying Cape Town City in both the league and cup are a test of character‚ said coach Eric Tinkler as he sets to work on building confidence at the coastal club’s training this week.

Tinkler is using the international break to fine tune matters at the club as he seeks to keep them in with a chance of a surprise title in their very first season.

City were eliminated by amateur side Acornbush in the Nedbank Cup and then last weekend misfired in a goalless draw with Bloemfontein Celtic in the Premier Soccer League.

Tinkler says confidence is now in short supply.

“This is where the character is tested‚" said.

"Can the players pick themselves up and say ‘hey‚ lets roll up our sleeves‚ we’ve got nine games left‚ let’s push all the way’?”

“We’ve got nothing to lose but everything to gain.”

• Cape Town City go top despite draw at CelticLebogang Manyama missed a golden chance near the end of the game to hand Cape Town City a valuable victory in their title chase but they had to settle for just one away on a difficult trip to relegation-haunted Bloemfontein Celtic in the Absa Premiership on Saturday evening. 

Tinkler has made a priority working on picking up confidence but his training work this and next week‚ before City’s next match against Chippa United on Monday‚ April 3‚ plus the more practical matter of set-pieces and throw-ins.

“|Dropping points is always going to be a blow when you are chasing the title‚ that is the harsh reality.

"For us‚ we have already had too many losses unlike a team like SuperSport who have had plenty draws but only one loss. We need to try and pick up maximum points every opportunity we can.

“But we are still ahead of the target we set ourselves because we said that in our first five games if we could get 10 points we’d actually be doing OK. We got 13.

"In our last six we have got 14 points.

• Cape Town City can become the first team in four years to beat Sundowns twiceNot since Moroka Swallows achieved the feat in the 2012-13 Premier Soccer League campaign has Mamelodi Sundowns lost twice to the same club in a single league season‚ but on Friday they could suffer that fate at the hands of Cape Town City. 

"So we are still well ahead of our targets‚ but you can’t rest on your laurels and become complacent because it is the business end of the season now.”

City are top of the PSL standings with 39 points but second placed Bidvest Wits have played two matches less and defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns just five points behind with four games in hand.

- TMG Digital/TMG Sport