Tinkler calls for united effort from squad

SuperSport United coach Eric Tinkler said yesterday it was time for his fringe players to step up ahead of his side’s Telkom Knockout last-16 clash at Bloemfontein Celtic tomorrow.

Matsatsantsa are still basking in their feat of reaching the Caf Confederation Cup final for the first time in the club’s history.

Tinkler has advised his squad, however, to stop thinking about that momentous achievement, and redirect their focus on the immediate task at hand.

The coach will almost certainly rest some of the players who did so well in the 3-1 win at Club Africain on Sunday. The likes of Sifiso Myeni, Tefu Mashamaite (pictured), Reyaad Pieterse and Egwuekwe Azubuike could be given a run-out.

“This is where we start testing the depth of our squad,” said Tinkler, who will be looking to win the league cup for a second successive season after he won it with Cape Town City last term at the expense of his current employers.

“We have a 30-man squad, there are guys who didn’t travel to Tunisia and everybody needs to raise their hand. I think when the team are achieving and when the team are winning, those guys also want to taste that, and that is also what I am relying on.

“The fact that we have been winning, the fact that the team have been doing well, it just makes it more competitive in training.

“We all know it is going to be a very long season and everybody is going to have to contribute towards the success of the team. So the guys who are on the fringes will need to really step forward now. It is kind of passing that responsibility on to them as well.”

Celtic, for their part, return to play at home after a week away in Cape Town that saw them beat Cape Town City in a league match at the Athlone Stadium, but then lose to Ajax Cape Town at the same ground a few days later.