Eric Tinkler explains what held CT City back from success this season

Cape Town City head coach Eric Tinkler has pointed out the main factor that hindered their success this season.

Last season, the Citizens finished second in the DStv Premiership behind the champions Mamelodi Sundowns. 

At some point, they looked like strong contenders but they fell behind along the way. However, in this campaign, City have struggled to maintain last season’s form.

Tinkler says they had a bad pre-season, highlighting the absence of key players from camp.

Terrence Mashego, Taariq Fielies and Thamsanqa Mkhize were injured while Nathan Fasika couldn’t return to South Africa due to passport issues.

ERIC TINKLER ON WHY CITY DIDN’T HAVE SUCCESSFUL SEASON

“Our season didn’t start the way it should have,” said Tinkler.

“For a few reasons, normally a good pre-season. I have been successful when we’ve had good pre-seasons.

“This pre-season was a rando pre-season because we lost Terrence Mashego to injury with Bafana Bafana.

“We lost Taariq Fielies to injury with Bafana Bafana. 

“Fasika, my centre-back was sitting in the Congo. He couldn’t get back to the country because of passport issues.

“Thami Mkhize was injured. So, I went into that first league game without my back four that kept 14 clean sheets [in the previous season].

“And then my first three games were all difficult games. We ended up losing the first three games.

“That changes the mindset, that makes it a pressure situation. And don’t just think that a pressure situation is on the coach

“The pressure situation goes all the way down to the players. The players start feeling the pressure and results become difficult.

“So, it was the inconsistency that brought the fact that we didn’t have the proper pre-season with our full squad.”

The 52-year-old went on to recall the sudden departure of their former number-one goalkeeper Hugo Marques.

The Angolan shot-stopper joined Petro de Luanda in August after asking to be released by the Cape Town-based club.

Tinkler believes that unsettled his side.

THE DEPARTURE OF HUGO MARQUES

“And the whole Hugo Marques debacle,” he continued.

“You put that also into the picture and then it just makes the start of the season, not the greatest.

“You go back and you look and you say to yourself, ‘Oh what if collected three, four more wins here, where we could have and we should have…”