Cape Town City coach Eric Tinkler already planning for next season

Cape Town City will return to work on June 30 with coach Eric Tinkler giving his charges a long holiday after their remarkable debut season.

“It’s been a long season and we just felt that the guys needed to have at least a four week break‚" he said.

"We need to be back six weeks prior to the (start of the league campaign) and we see the first game in the MTN8 as part of our pre-season.

“We plan to start on the 30th‚ do our medicals and the first two weeks get our fitness base up and after that try to get as many friendly matches as we can in.

“That is a challenge down here in Cape Town so we are planning to try and travel up around the 22nd‚ 23rd of July and stay over in Johannesburg and play a couple of friendlies.

• PSL survivors Chippa keep Malesela in manager jobChippa United coach Dan Malesela has been given a vote of confidence by team management after ensuring that premiership football will continue to be played in Eastern Cape next season. 

"We want to try and get two‚ three competitive friendlies under our belt before we hit that first league match.”

City face a tough season trying to repeat the heroics of their maiden campaign which also saw them win the Telkom Knockout.

Tinkler said there would be some new faces to help with the new challenge.

“There are a few areas where we want to look at and just strengthen the squad in terms of the depth that we have.

“We are not planning to increase the numbers.

• History against Baroka in the PSL promotion/relegation play-offsBaroka FC enter the Premier Soccer League Promotion/Relegation Play-Offs on Wednesday knowing that history is against them as top-flight sides have had little joy in the competition since it was first played in the 2004/05 season. 

"I think it (a small squad size) worked for us this season.

"That is what kept that unity in the squad.

"The minute you start adding more numbers‚ the more chance of players not being involved and it’s those players who become rotten apples and start spoiling everything and dragging this one and that one (down) with them.

• Malesela receives vote of confidence by Chippa managementChippa United coach Dan Malesela has been given a vote of confidence by team management after ensuring that premiership football will continue to be played in the Eastern Cape next season. 

“So I think our numbers will remain the same but what also becomes important – and we have that opportunity now – is to ensure we have a good (MultiChoice) Diski team.

"A competitive Diski team with some older player‚ younger players and players that should we need to drag them in‚ we can drag them in at any given time‚” said Tinkler.

Next year City will represent South Africa in the African Confederation Cup after finishing third in the Premier Soccer League standings.

- TMG Digital/TMG Sport