Tinkler hints at boycotting Caf Confed’ Cup
Eric Tinkler may have lost the appetite to compete in the Caf Confederation Cup this year following SuperSport United’s grueling run in the 2017 campaign.
Eric Tinkler, coach of SuperSport United during the 2017 Caf Confederations Cup Final Press Conference at Lucas Moripe Stadium. (Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix)
Matsatsantsa A Pitori lost the final to TP Mazembe last November and have since struggled to find their feet in the domestic scene.
By virtue of winning the 2017 Nedbank Cup, United are set to return to the 2018 Confed’ Cup which begins next month.
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“I don’t even think about it right now to be honest. If it affects the team the way it has this season then I don’t think it is worth it,” said Tinkler.
“I have now experienced it twice and I have seen what effect it has on the team and we need to seriously rethink whether we are going to be actively involved in that seriously or not,” added Tinkler as he recalled guiding Orlando Pirates to a second-place finish in the 2015 edition.
“I think there’s not team that has gone to a Caf final that has not felt this. I think we saw it with Mamelodi Sundowns. I experienced it with Pirates and I don’t think people actually understand how difficult it is,” he added.
Tinkler said doing well in a competition of this magnitude only to fall short in the final becomes a detriment in the players’ psyche.
“It is more emotional for the players than anything else. I don’t think it is a physical issue because to get to the final is a long road. We got to a Nedbank final, we got to a Caf final, MTN8 and that takes a lot of hard work and the players have to go through a lot of pressure.”
