Daylon Claasen of Maritzburg United celebrates goal with teammates during the Absa Premiership 2019/20 match between Kaizer Chiefs and Maritzburg United at FNB Stadium, Johannesburg on 15 February 2020 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Teamwork makes the dream work at Maritzburg United
Eric Tinkler says the atmosphere at the club has improved with the successes of Maritzburg United 2019/20 league campaign.
Daylon Claasen of Maritzburg United celebrates goal with teammates during the Absa Premiership 2019/20 match between Kaizer Chiefs and Maritzburg United at FNB Stadium, Johannesburg on 15 February 2020 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Maritzburg United coach Eric Tinkler has credited collective effort with driving the team to a vastly improved Premiership campaign.
The Team of Choice are fifth after lashing Stellenbosch FC 3-0 in Pietermaritzburg on Friday 28 February. The result means that United take a full complement of PSL points for the month of February.
Maritzburg United is a good place to be
United also beat Bidvest Wits and Kaizer Chiefs in what was an important month for the club and although they were eliminated from the Nedbank Cup Tinkler says the chairman is happy with the progress of the team that had to come through a promotion-relegation to retain their PSL status last term.
“Definitely, I’ve got a happy chairman. Last season you look at where we were, this season that pressure doesn’t exist you know,” Tinkler said.
“Which is great because the atmosphere you create in training is far better, so I’m very proud of the technical team, the support I’ve been given by the chairman and the support from everybody.
“We work as a team, that’s what gets us where we are, it has nothing to do with individuals, it’s a team effort.”
Tinkler resigned to getting the sack again
Tinkler is enjoying his time at Maritzburg United but said he has no way of knowing how long the good times will last. The former Orlando Pirates coach says that he is certain he will be sacked again before he retires from coaching. Tinkler has coached five teams all of whom have been in the Premiership.
“I don’t know, we will see. This is game is a fickle game you know. There’s this saying that you are only good as your last game,” Tinkler went on to say.
“It’s just a harsh reality of professional sport, you are going to win some and lose some, that’s a fact. But hey, you’ve got to live with it and move on, that is the most important thing.
“I know in my career I’m going to be fired again, it’s unavoidable, because that’s the way the game has transformed. Gone are the days when you see coaches staying for 23 years, it doesn’t exist anymore. That is the harsh reality of a business we’re in.”
Tinkler’s team were Telkom Knockout runners up this season losing the final in controversial circumstances after a Judas Moseamedi goal was ruled out for offside.
Maritzburg United face relegation-threatened Polokwane City at the Harry Gwala Stadium on Friday 6 March.
