Tinkler, Krol could both do well at SuperSport
WITH SuperSport being forced to look for a replacement for Stuart Baxter, who recently took up the Bafana job, there is no doubt CVs have flooded in at the club, but it seems nothing convincing as yet. It’s unlikely their next coach will be someone already well versed in the PSL, unless there are pockets deep enough to pay compensation for a coach already contracted. We think there are two good options to succeed Baxter as well as one to steer clear of; here’s why: the success of Cape Town City, who not only finished third in the Absa Premiership and qualified for the 2018 CAF Confederation Cup, but also clinched the Telkom Knockout Cup in December last year – coincidentally beating Baxter’s SuperSport 2-1 at the Peter Mokaba Stadium. Tinkler was vilified for not having the necessary pedigree to lead Pirates during his stint as caretaker coach and then as head coach, despite guiding Bucs to the 2015 Confed Cup final, which they lost to Tunisia’s Etoile du Sahel. He has earned praise for being in charge of a side that only had 14 players on its books when he took over and turned them into title contenders. Worth considering for the soon to be vacant SuperSport job, but will they be willing to pay compensation to City for his services?
The Dutchman’s name has made the rounds in SA in recent weeks, being linked to the Bafana post that eventually went to Baxter after a lengthy search. Reports this week suggested Krol has been offered to SuperSport, supposedly by an agent, and is awaiting feedback on whether he will even make the shortlist. His advantage is that the Premier League wouldn’t be unfamiliar territory, but having been away from it since winning the treble with Pirates in 2011 and currently being unattached, Krol is a bit outdated. Nevertheless, he would still make a good enough candidate and his work at Pirates and CS Sfaxien and Esperance in Tunisia speaks for itself. It is believed that SuperSport in the past tried to lure Krol to the club when long-serving coach Gavin Hunt left for Bidvest Wits in 2013, but the Dutchman wanted telephone numbers for a salary. And he apparently still does, even though his record shows he has not held a job at a top club anywhere in the world since sometime early last year.
Perhaps a job like this comes two or three years too late for De Sa, who has most recently quit Ajax Cape Town, resurfaced at Maritzburg United only to throw in the towel three months into his six months contract. Although he does have two trophies – won with unfancied sides Wits (Nedbank Cup in 2010) and Ajax (MTN8 2015) – De Sa doesn’t seem to have the longevity a club like SuperSport is after. Should he even be considered, it would show the lack of high profile candidates interested in the SuperSport post. Matsatsantsa have been down this route before with Cavin Johnson, who had done a sterling job with Platinum Stars, but was just not the right fit for the Tshwane outfit when he replaced Hunt. His poor results and resignations at Ajax and Maritzburg have hurt De Sa’s chances of landing a gig coaching the top five sides.
@superjourno