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Tinkler says City may abandon beautiful play to earn points at Chiefs
'Sometimes you have to play ugly football just to collect points and I think that is going to be a lesson this week,' said the Cape Town City head coach.
Eric Tinkler acknowledges that his team may have to play slightly differently against Kaizer Chiefs. Picture: Shaun Roy/BackpagePix.
Cape Town City coach Eric Tinkler says his team are built on the premise of playing attractive football but if need be, they can play ugly and get the result.
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Tinkler was speaking ahead of his side’s meeting with Kaizer Chiefs at FNB Stadium on Saturday evening.
Amakhosi are on a good run, which has seen them climb up to second spot, and Tinkler knows it is a mammoth task for his side to get something out of Saturday’s game.
“We have now started preparing for the game against Chiefs. It is an in-form Kaizer Chiefs that has got some good results of late. It is a game against them that as a coach I don’t really have to motivate my players for – they should already be motivated, knowing they are playing against such a high profile team,” said Tinkler.
The former Orlando Pirates mentor was unhappy about how his team were caught flat footed in their 2-2 draw against TS Galaxy last weekend and hopes for an improved run this time around.
“We come off the disappointment of a draw against TS Galaxy… normally people would be happy with a point earned away but we are not.
“There was disappointment from me and from the team as well at not having collected the full points.
“I see that as a positive. It makes us hungry, it makes us want to achieve things. We need to go to Chiefs organised, structurally. We were disappointed with the way we conceded against TS Galaxy. We have managed to keep clean sheets against top teams like Mamelodi Sundowns.
“Chiefs have high firepower upfront with the likes of Keagan Dolly, Bernard Parker and (Lebo) Manyama. Defensively we need to be very organised and structured.
“But we also have to go there and play with no fear and believe in ourselves. We are a team who likes to play attractive football and we want to continue doing that. But sometimes you have to play ugly football just to collect points and I think that is going to be a lesson this week – for the players to understand the importance of us improving defensively.”
