Khoza blames fans' impatience for decision to allow Tinkler to leave Pirates

Irvin Khoza wanted to persist with Eric Tinkler as his head coach at Orlando Pirates just over a year ago‚ but gave in to supporter pressure‚ Bucs’ chairman has said.

Khoza said the foundation that has this season taken Tinkler to his second Caf Confederation Cup semifinal and third domestic final was laid in the coach’s time at Pirates.

Tinkler’s SuperSport United reached the Confed semis on away goals with an impressive 2-2 draw in the second leg in Ndola‚ Zambia on Saturday‚ after a 0-0 draw at home.

Bafana Bafana’s 1996-Africa Cup of Nations-winning defensive midfielder left Pirates as coach after a seventh-placed finish in 2015-16 – a season where had steered Bucs to the Confed final‚ losing against Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia.

Tinkler went on to steer Cape Town City to third place in the league last season and the Telkom Knockout trophy‚ while Pirates‚ under three separate coaches‚ sagged to their worst finish of 11th in the PSL‚ with no trophy.

“What defines a coach is their work ethic. Tinkler is defined by that‚” Khoza said on Tuesday.

“Tinkler is hands on. That is why it was not easy for me to let him go. I wanted to maintain him in the team. But unfortunately he got a very good offer.

“And I’m happy – he’s doing very well. You see‚ my selection of Tinkler was not misplaced. It was a good choice.

“But unfortunately the supporters were impatient. And a lot of people are impatient‚ but we see things that they don’t see.

“Because when they never saw anything in Tinkler‚ I saw something in Tinkler. And I’m happy it’s been proven right that my choice was the correct choice.

“When he went to Cape Town City he won a trophy. Now he’s in a final and a semifinal.

“So there’s nothing new about Tinkler because we have prepared him for that. He’s been in the final of the Confederation Cup‚ he’s been in three finals in the country.

“Unfortunately he and Roger (de Sa‚ Bucs’ head coach in 2013) were not lucky not to win the Champions League.

But there were the two (continental) finals (at Pirates)‚ and that was a good experience for Tinkler.

“But it’s also very important that the class of 1996 are coming now to take their rightful position‚ and not only becoming armchair critics.

“Tinkler is one of the guys who is prepared to be tested and to be audited – not one of those who just go into the TV studio just to critique.”

Tinkler has reached this year’s MTN8 final‚ against old team Cape Town City.

He also reached the 2015-16 Nedbank Cup final‚ where Pirates lost 3-1 against SuperSport.

 - TimesLIVE