Tinkler shattered SA missed out on dream CAF final
Sekhukhune United head coach Eric Tinkler has expressed his heartbreak after an all-South African dream CAF Champions League final was shattered last week.
Tinkler's former club, Orlando Pirates, were eliminated by Pyramids FC of Egypt in the semi-final, while Mamelodi Sundowns reached the final at the expense of Egyptian giants Al Ahly last weekend.
The two PSL powerhouses travelled to Cairo for the return legs last Friday after goalless stalemates at home a week earlier.
Pirates lost 3-2 on aggregate but Sundowns advanced to the final on the away goals rule after holding off Al Ahly 1-1.
Tinkler, who coached Pirates between 2013 and 2016, knows too well the disappointment of coming close to lifting a continental trophy.
He suffered defeats in the 2015 and 2017 CAF Confederation Cup final - the first with Pirates against Étoile du Sahel of Tunisia and later with SuperSport United against the Democratic Republic of Congo's TP Mazembe.
Tinkler was an assistant to coach Roger De Sa when the Buccaneers lost to Al Ahly in the Champions League final in 2013.
Speaking to the media after Sekhukhune edged Pirates 1-0 at the Orlando Stadium on Wednesday, the 1996 Afcon winner with Bafana Bafana showed his soft spot for his former club.
In his last foray on the continent, Tinkler guided Cape Town City in their maiden Champions League three seasons ago.
The 54-year-old is eager to return to the CAF interclub competition next season with Sekhukhune, who he joined in March after he was fired by Cape Town City late last year.
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