Tinkler wants to test his credentials in Caf competitions

Cape Town City coach Eric Tinkler has a burning desire to emulate one the country’s most successful coaches Pitso “Jingles” Mosimane by testing his own credentials in the Caf competitions, albeit, highlighting competing in that space doesn’t make financial sense for SA clubs. 

“Obviously, us as coaches...where do you now recognise yourself among your peers? For me, it can’t only be in the PSL, it has to be in the Caf [competitions] and if you see yourself as a coach going to bigger things like Pitso has, well you’ve to go to that window really, the Caf competitions,” Tinkler said.

“That has never changed... but I think there’s a lot of problems with the Caf competitions for us as clubs, we look at how much we spend and how much we end up making...right now it’s not worth it.”

Boasting three Champions League titles, Mosimane, who now coaches Emirati side Al Wahda, attained his legendary status at local side Mamelodi Sundowns, before consolidating it at Egyptian giants Al Ahly. At Downs, Mosimane won one Champions League title back in 2016, before winning the 2020 and 2021 editions with Al Ahly. Many SA teams have always bewailed the expenses they incur when they travel for CAF games.

While they’ve crashed out of the MTN8 after losing 2-1 to Kaizer Chiefs at home on Sunday, City’s still have their league record intact as they won both their opening fixtures 1-0 against Polokwane City and Swallows. Tinkler wants his troops to challenge perennial league kings Sundowns for the title this term.

“We all saw last season how Sundowns walked away with the league. So, I think us as coaches and us as clubs, we recognise that we need to be raising our bar if we want to be competing against the likes of Sundowns. We as the club, we ourselves want to be successful,” Tinkler said.

City’s next game is in the DStv Premiership against Tinkler’s former side SuperSport United at TUT Stadium on Friday night (7.30pm).