Tinkler keeps Sekhukhune United grounded despite flying start

Among football’s most favoured clichés, the one about the league championship being a marathon is currently ringing true for Eric Tinkler, who could well have been a Comrades Marathon runner in his past.

The man in charge of early pace-setters Sekhukhune United could be getting carried away like the “TV runners” who often enjoy the limelight as they set out like rabbits in that world-famous ultra-marathon in KwaZulu-Natal, only to be swallowed up two-thirds into the race and never seen again.

He is a seasoned campaigner — local football’s most famous ginger — and, while all around him bask in the glory of their team’s unbeaten start to the Betway Premiership, Tinkler is preaching caution.

Of course, he enjoys that they are setting the pace, in the knowledge that even pace-setters can go all the way and win the title. But just as the legendary Bruce Fordyce has always preached that the Comrades really begins after the 60km mark, Tinkler knows that seven matches into the season is far too early to start thinking about the championship.

“There’s still a very long way to go,” Tinkler said.

He reiterated that stance shortly after leading his team to yet another victory at the weekend — an injury-time 1-0 win over Golden Arrows at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

“It’s still very early in the season,” he once again responded to a question about whether he was thinking of the championship title.

Not that he isn’t dreaming of winning domestic football’s Holy Grail. Why would he be coaching if he had no aspirations of capturing the championship?

“We want to be up there. It’s been my purpose and objective since I arrived at Sekhukhune. We want to be competing at the highest level, but to talk about winning the league is way too early.”

Yet, as the saying goes, the early bird catches the fattest worm, and Sekhukhune are currently that bird — collecting points early on to put themselves in a strong position to challenge for the biggest prize.

The victory came fresh on the heels of their midweek defeat of Kaizer Chiefs and left Tinkler beaming.

“The three points were the most important factor, especially after the game against Chiefs because often, after teams beat Chiefs, there is a lull and performances drop.”

There was no such drop for Sekhukhune, who eked out a workmanlike performance that was duly rewarded three minutes into stoppage time. It was that man again, Bradley Grobler, who headed in a Shaun Mogaila cross to ensure maximum points for Ba Bina Noko.

“We were better and dominant in the second half, though the chances were coming but not going in. It looked like possibly we could end with a draw, but the boys kept fighting and we ended up getting that very late goal.

"The boys deserve the credit. Bradley is called a sniper for a reason. We were considering taking him off — at least the technical team was asking me to — and I said, ‘No, not today. We might need him in the last minute’, and it proved correct.”

Next up for Sekhukhune are Chippa United on Wednesday and Polokwane City at the weekend — matches they will definitely start as favourites. Tinkler, however, is not one to count chickens before they hatch.

“I think it is very important that we stay grounded and don’t let our success so far go to our heads — both players and technical staff. We’ve worked extremely hard to get to where we are and that work needs to continue.”

That’s a true marathoner’s attitude. No matter how far ahead you might be, the race is not won until you cross the finish line.