After losing twice as a player‚ coach Tinkler wants the MTN8 trophy
Image: Lee Warren/Gallo Images
For Eric Tinkler the MTN8 final on Saturday holds personal ambitions‚ as the SuperSport United coach has lost twice in the final of the competition as a player and once as an assistant-coach.
SuperSport meet Tinkler’s team from last season‚ Cape Town City‚ at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Saturday’s final.
As a player Tinkler turned out in back-to-back BP Top 8 finals for Wits University in 1989 and 1990 before leaving for a long and successful career in Europe‚ including in Serie A and the English Premiership.
In 1989 Wits lost 2-1 on aggregate (1-0 away and 1-1 at home) to the fearsome Kaizer Chiefs of the late 1980s‚ the league winners that year‚ then the following year the Clever Boys were handed a 5-0 aggregate defeat in the final (2-0 away and 3-0 at home) by Mamelodi Sundowns.
As a coach‚ Vladimir Vermezovic’s Orlando Pirates lost 1-0 to Kaizer Chiefs in the 2014 final at Moses Mabhida with Tinkler as the Serb’s assistant.
“I got two finals as a player when it was still known as the BP Top 8. And I was asked the question of what the prizemoney was back then‚ and I said‚ ‘I don't know’‚” Tinkler recalled this week.
“All I remember back in those days was the player of the month getting a pair of Richelieu shoes.
“And ja‚ unfortunately two finals as a player then and lost them. And at Pirates losing it in the final (as assistant).
“So obviously it is a trophy that I would like to win. The prizemoney (R8 million for the winners) is very good in this competition.
“And‚ you know‚ we want to start on the right foot as a club. Going forward in the season I think it would be highly motivational if we can lift this trophy.”
Tinkler won his first trophy as a coach when steered City to the Telkom Knockout trophy last season‚ beating his current side SuperSport in the final.