Tinkler points finger at Caf referees

According to Tinkler, Matsatsantsa were a victim of poor officiating in their semi-final tie at home to Tunisian side Club Africain when they were held to a one-all draw ahead of the second-leg expected to be played on the third weekend of October.

“This was a high profile match, a semi-final,” lamented Tinkler.

“It has taken us 14 games to get here and during that period we have encountered different referees who were selected to take charge of different games. Surely by now you would have thought that there is a panel that will look over those 14 games to see which referees have stood out as being very good referees and they need to be rewarded for the efforts that they have shown.

“I don’t know if they have done that, but I question whether that’s being done. I am of the opinion that referring is done by amateurs but even though they are amateurs, they need to be rewarded especially if they do their jobs with competency. Unfortunately I don’t think that they are being judged on that, the ones who are being judged are us as coaches,” said the former Orlando Pirates mentor.

Tinkler has, to a certain extent, every right to be dissatisfied as Seychelles referee Bernard Camille awarded a penalty to the visitors after he had adjudged Clayton Daniels to have handled the ball in the box, when in hindsight, the ball actually struck him on his chest.

“I have to explain why we drew 1-1 because he gave away a penalty that should’ve never been a penalty, and it sounds like I am making excuses but it is not, it is the truth and harsh reality. We get assessed that way … referees need to be assessed as well,” Tinkler concluded.