Eric Tinkler (Photo by Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images)
- Eric Tinkler skipped the press conference after Cape Town City’s 2-0 loss to Orlando Pirates in the MTN8 semi-final.
- Assistant coach Diogo Peral emphasised the need for time and consistency with new signings.
- Cape Town City now prepare for their Betway Premiership opener against Royal AM on 14 September.
- Please visit News24’s dedicated local soccer page.
Cape Town City head coach Eric Tinkler opted out of his post-match press conference after his team’s crushing 2-0 defeat (3-1 on aggregate) to Orlando Pirates in the MTN8 semi-final second leg on Saturday.
The loss prolongs City’s six-year trophy drought, while Pirates march towards history, now within touching distance of a third consecutive MTN8 title – a feat never before achieved in the tournament’s history.
Tinkler had inspired his troops through a half-time team talk on Wednesday in the first leg as City clawed their way back to salvage a 1-1 draw.
However, in Soweto, the Cape side fell short as the Buccaneers simply outclassed them in every department.
Despite their best efforts, City couldn’t find a foothold in the match, as Tshegofatso Mabasa’s clinical header and Deon Hotto’s sublime free-kick sealed the deal.
Tinkler, who initially took the reins at Cape Town City in 2016, quickly made his mark before departing 14 months later for SuperSport United.
However, in a twist of fate, he returned at the close of the 2020/2021 season, eager to pick up where he left off and revive the club’s ambitions.
His second stint has been filled with highs and lows, but the elusive silverware still remains out of reach.
In Tinkler’s absence at the post-match press conference, it was left to his assistant coach Diogo Peral to address the media.
While providing insight into the game, the assistant remained tight-lipped about why Tinkler chose to skip one of his fundamental responsibilities as a head coach, leaving the reasoning behind his no-show open to speculation.
“Where do we go from here? Nothing’s changed. We’re very positive about the team we’ve put together,” said Peral.
“What we need is probably a little bit more time. A bit more time for the new guys to get used to each other. A bit of time to get the coaches’ plan in place and we [are] convinced we can go forward.
“What this team has added and what we didn’t have in the past is that we have healthy competition in training. We always sit here and go on about 90 minutes. Ninety minutes is a short period of time if you consider training.”
The trophy drought has seen club owner John Comitis show just how deep his pockets are by roping in 10 fresh faces, including high-profile players, such as Fortune Makaringe, Haashim Domingo, Kamohelo Mokotjo, Amadou Soukouna and Carlinhos.
However, Peral continues to call for consistency in training and patience.
“If the level in training is up then the level in the game will eventually be up, which we’ve shown.
“Now we need a little bit more consistency but [with] the healthy competition in training, better quality squad, more depth in quality, I think we’ll be okay this season and I think we will compete,” Peral concluded.
City now have two weeks to prepare for the delayed start of the Betway Premiership that finally gets under way.
The Citizens will open their Premiership journey away to Royal AM on 14 September.