Tinkler disappointed with his players’ lack of tactical discipline in Leopards loss

The Blue Hearts were a shadow of the team they were before the Covid-19 break and at some point trialed the Absa Premiership strugglers 2-0. For a while, however, it looked as if they would stage a dramatic comeback similar to that of Kaizer Chiefs the previous day when they equaliser and went into the break at 2-2.

It was however not to be for Tinkler’s side as Lidoda Duvha scored a third which enough to earn them a win they needed so desperately. Tinkler said although it was their first game after the break, there were mistakes he just couldn’t ignore.

“I can’t ignore it. We are professional footballers and that performance was simply not good enough,” Tinkler said in a virtual post-match media conference.

“We can relate to what we do at training and I can agree with other coaches that we can’t expect too much from the players at this moment but I didn’t see any of my players suffering from cramps so it was not a fitness issue.

“It was more that tactical discipline was not just not there. In open play, on set pieces and the goals we conceded were poor. When you look at our record before the break, defensively we were very solid, so we didn’t follow the principles, that’s the disappointment for me,” he added.

Maritzburg’s next game is against title chasers Mamelodi Sundowns and Tinkler is worried that if they don’t improve, Pitso Mosimane’s side will embarrass them heavily.

“That is something we are going to show them when we get to the hotel and we are going to work extensively on our organization on open play and in set pieces.

“Our next game is against Sundowns and if we perform the way we did with the quality they possess than we are going to get punished. Today’s performance was embarrassing to be rudely honest.”

Tinkler also clarified his decision to start with Richard Ofori in goals despite the Ghanaian keeper having lost his mother who died last week.

“It was always going to be difficult. We were aware that he had lost his mother. We sat him down to ask how he was feeling. He felt he wanted to play, he felt it was important to play an honour the memory of his mother. That’s what’s it is. Players are human and he made a human mistake that has nothing to do with the death of his mother. We know the qualities he possesses and it was just human mistakes,” explained the 50-year-old mentor.