Having gone 11 matches without victory, Cape Town City head coach Eric Tinkler admits the pressure is mounting on his side to end their ongoing winless run.
However, Tinkler is not too concerned about his managerial future as his main focus is on getting the Citizen’s campaign back on track.
City remain winless in 2024 as their unwanted streak stretched to 11 matches in all competitions after their 2-0 DStv Premiership defeat to on-fire Orlando Pirates at Cape Town Stadium on Wednesday.
The Capetonians’ last 10 outings in the league have ended in four defeats and six draws as the Cape outfit dropped out of the top three to now languishing in seventh position in the standings.
Tinkler’s side were also knocked out of the Nedbank Cup Round of 32 by SuperSport United.
“We’ve been discussing this for a long, long time. It wasn’t just last week or the week before that. I need to worry about the control of it, that I can’t control,” Tinkler told Cape Town media after the defeat to Pirates.
“Right now, I’m in charge and I will carry on being in charge.
“That’s the unfortunate reality of being a coach when the results are not coming, the blame comes on you.
“The blame never falls on the players, it falls on the coach. I can’t worry about the guillotine coming because somewhere along the line it will come.”
The former Bafana Bafana midfielder and 1996 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) winner strongly believes he can still turn City’s fortunes around and finish the season in a respectable position.
“We always believe that we are one win away from turning it around and that’s what has to continue, getting that one win under the belt and turning things around,” Tinkler added.
“That’s the one thing I am, a fighter and I will continue fighting every day to get that next win, so I try to stay away from the negativity because the minute you get dragged into the negativity it is going to give you a negative mindset.
“You (media) keep the negative mindset and I will keep mine positive.
“I’ve been in this situation many times before, this is not my first rodeo, you know. I’ve been in situations where clubs were going dire straits, (at) Maritzburg with 12 points after 21 games.
“I went there and I just kept working and that’s exactly what I do now. I don’t change, I don’t become someone different because of negative results.
“I’m still the same human being, I’m still the same person, still the same coach and I follow the same coaching philosophy, how I train and prepare the players, absolutely nothing changes,” Tinkler said.
“What I’m hoping changes is that the players respond on the day. Like I said, it’s all a mindset. Something will trigger it in one moment, one go. It can trigger you from a negative situation into a positive situation.”
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