Michaelson Ntokozo Gumede

By Ntokozo Gumede

Journalist


Tinkler backs Lucas Radebe for Safa presidency

The SuperSport United coach has called for “football people”, like Lucas Radebe, to hold key positions in football.


Former Bafana Bafana and Leeds United captain Radebe is set to run for the presidency of Safa in the March 24 elections. However, the jury is still out on whether he is eligible to stand as a candidate to contest for Danny Jordaan’s position.

“I like football people, they understand me and I understand them. [Lucas] is a football man, we played together, he is a friend,” said Tinkler at the back of his side’s 4-2 win over Bloemfontein Celtic.

READ: I wanted Lucas Radebe as running mate – Nonkonyana

Tinkler was lamenting his side’s congested schedule that saw them play nine Absa Premiership games in the space of 28 days.

“I think sometimes when fixtures are scheduled; they need to speak to football people when they make football decisions.

“We’ve just come off nine games every three days in 28 days. Now, the last one that we played was scheduled for 3.30pm in the afternoon. Does that make any sense?” Tinkler questioned.

“We know that this team has played eight games consecutively, that’s the fixture that we’ve given them. There is a backlog, we don’t have space to add the games anywhere else. Which is fine, we accept that, but the you schedule our ninth one in the afternoon, 32 degrees in Pretoria,” he added.

The former Orlando Pirates mentor continued: “That is why I am saying sometimes football decisions need to be made by football people who understand what the players have to face out there when it is 32 degrees in the middle of summer… especially after you’ve played eight grueling games. It doesn’t make any sense.”

READ: SuperSport edge Celtic in six-goal thriller

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