TINKLER PLOTS DOWNS’ FALL
Tshwane side ‘will be weak after Caf triumph’
ERIC Tinkler has already begun plotting the downfall of new African champions Mamelodi Sundowns‚ who his Cape Town City side meet in the Absa Premiership in Atteridgeville on Sunday.
The City coach said he had begun work on tactics for the match against Sundowns straight after last Wednesday’s Telkom Knockout victory over Bloemfontein Celtic‚ in which the Cape Town side scored twice late in extra time to book a place in the last eight of the cup competition.
“I’ve been watching a lot of them and studying them obviously. They’ve now almost got two teams – a league team and a Caf team.
“But in terms of how they play‚ that doesn’t really change‚ just the personnel‚ and each of those personnel have slightly different attributes.”
Tinkler said he was not sure which Sundowns lineup he would face on Sunday because the Brazilians first play on Thursday night against Polokwane City in the Telkom Knockout first round‚ just over a day after their scheduled return from Egypt.
Sundowns then meet City three days later.
In contrast with Sundowns’ hectic schedule‚ City will have had 10 days’ rest since their last outing and are likely to be markedly fresher at the weekend.
Tinkler joked: “I hope I meet a tired team.
“There will be that hangover effect. We need to take advantage. It’s going to be tough.
“For us the harsh reality is‚ we lost valuable points at home. We need to go there and collect points‚” he said in reference to a 2-1 home loss to Baroka FC in their last league outing.
“And if ever there is an opportunity to catch Sundowns when they are probably at their weakest‚ it is now.”
Tinkler said he did not think his players would be scared of going up against Sundowns now that they have won the Champions League.
“My guys will be highly motivated. It’s Sundowns!
“Winning that title has taken a lot of hard work for Sundowns and we know it will be a tough game.
“But I know my players will be motivated because they always are against those kinds of teams.”
Meanwhile, the R21-million prize money for winning the Caf Champions League will be divided among Mamelodi Sundowns’ players‚ club president Patrice Motsepe said after his side lifted the trophy at Borg El Arab Stadium in Alexandria‚ Egypt, on Sunday night.
Sundowns showed guts to concede just the one goal‚ by Stanley Ohawuchi in the 65th minute‚ against Zamalek, to lose the second leg of the final 1-0 and win 3-1 on aggregate.
In so doing‚ they realised Motsepe’s dream since buying the club in 2003 of becoming champions of Africa.
The club president said the $1.5-million (R21-million) prize money would be shared by the players.
“All of the $1.5-million. They must now sit down and start thinking about how they are going to divide that money among themselves‚” Motsepe said.