Maritzburg United head coach Eric Tinkler says to finish the year in the top half of the Absa Premiership log and possibly lifting the Telkom Knockout cup would be a great turn around for the side.
Maritzburg have a TKO final meeting with Mamelodi Sundowns in Durban this coming Saturday before their last league match of the year at home against Kaizer Chiefs sitting in the eighth spot on the log.
Tinkler believes that not a lot of people are giving his charges a chance in either clash, while they have nothing to lose.
The 49-year-old mentor concedes that it was important for the Team of Choice to get a victory against Polokwane City in the league yesterday saying they could not afford to go to the final uninspired.
However, Tinkler emphasises they did not go to Polokwane with Sundowns at the back of their heads.
Tinkler says his team has come a long way from fighting for survival at the promotion/relegation playoffs last season.
The coach also feels it is not right for the media to always be critical as it gives him the hard work of constantly working on the players’ state of mind especially this time of the year.
Tinkler adds that the campaign is already extremely compact and the critics are not helping.
The former South African international however says critical as the media may be, it is his team’s responsibility to reflect on their work and not add pressure on themselves. – Report by Lethabo Kganyago
