Latest news with #Tinkler
IOL News
2 days ago
- Sport
- IOL News
PSL 2024/25 review: Mamelodi Sundowns clinch another title as Orlando Pirates, Stellies and Sekhukhune fall short
Lucas Ribeiro, who left for the Fifa Club World Cup with Mamelodi Sundowns on Sunday, is one of the favourites to win the PSL Player of the Season award. Photo: Itumeleng English Independent Media Image: Itumeleng English Independent Media The 2024/25 Betway Premiership season delivered a blend of brilliance, heartbreak and controversy. Mamelodi Sundowns extended their dynasty with an eighth successive league title, leaving Orlando Pirates, Stellenbosch FC and Sekhukhune United to reflect on what might have been. Here, Mihlali Baleka and Herman Gibbs unpack the highs and lows of each club's campaign, spotlighting the moments that mattered — and what's next. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡 🏆@SekhukhuneFc's Keletso Makgalwa is the April #BetwayPrem Player of the Month — Official PSL (@OfficialPSL) May 14, 2025 Fourth | SEKHUKHUNE UNITED Sekhukhune improve but miss a bigger prize Sekhukhune secured a second consecutive fourth-place finish in the Premiership, achieving their highest points tally in the top flight (46). A strong start under coach Lehlohonolo Seema raised expectations, but he was controversially sacked mid-season and replaced by Eric Tinkler. Tinkler built well on Seema's foundation, but fell short of a Top 3 finish. However, his quick rapport with the players and the team's attractive football offer hope for the future. The good and the bad: Sekhukhune gave players like Keletso Makgalwa a fresh start. However, the club's handling of right-back Shaun Mogaila — who played while facing serious criminal charges — drew widespread criticism. The sacking of Seema was poorly managed and cost the team vital momentum. Star player: Keletso Makgalwa | Young Turk (best U23 player): Vuyo Letlapa | Sign him now: Keletso Makgalwa What's to come: If Tinkler is backed in the transfer market and retains key players, Sekhukhune could aim for a Top 3 finish next season. Ever-present, ever-reliable 🤩 Devin Titus featured in all 51 of our matches during the 2024-25 season ✨ — Stellenbosch FC (@StellenboschFC) June 8, 2025 Third | STELLENBOSCH FC Stellenbosch keep the African dream alive Stellies securing their return to the CAF Confederation Cup. This season marked their first appearance in the competition, where they impressively reached the semi-finals. They equalled their best-ever Premiership finish and navigated a packed schedule, playing in seven countries — including the DRC, Mali, Angola, Morocco, Egypt and Tanzania. A 3-0 win and 0-0 draw extended their unbeaten Cape Derby run against Cape Town City to nine matches, dating back to December 2020. The good and the bad: Stellenbosch began the season with six consecutive wins in all competitions — a club first and won 13 matches in the Premiership. Their worst result was a 5-0 thrashing by Renaissance Berkane in January. Star player: Fawaaz Basadien | Young Turk: Ibraheem Jabaar | Sign him now: Masindi Nemtajela What's to come: They have the financial backing to become a real powerhouse in SA football and will want tokeep fighting in Africa. Second | ORLANDO PIRATES So close, yet so far for the Sea Robbers After dominating domestic cup competitions for the last two seasons, Pirates were finally expected to knock Sundowns off their perch in the Premiership. They endured a nervy end to the campaign, their inexperience in the title race ultimately exposed as they fell short of the crown. They also had a near-miss on the continent, losing to eventual champions Pyramids in the CAF Champions League semi-finals after a near-perfect group-stage campaign. The side ended the season with only one trophy — the MTN8 — while coach Jose Riveiro requested an early release to join Al Ahly. The good and the bad: Riveiro's integration of youngsters into the senior squad was a clear highlight. However, near-misses in both the Premiership and Champions League dashed the club's aspirations, rendering the season a failure. Star player: Relebohile Mofokeng | Young Turk: Mbekezeli Mbokazi | Sign him now: Mohau Nkota What's to come: With Pirates yet to announce a new coach, the club's direction remains uncertain.
IOL News
18-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Tinkler defiant as Sekhukhune's CAF Confederation Cup hopes hang in the balance
Sekhukhune United coach Eric Tinkler might miss out on the Top 3 objective set out by the team. Photo: Backpagepix Image: Backpagepix The continental football goal that Eric Tinkler was tasked with achieving at Sekhukhune United is looking increasingly unlikely. However, South Africa's famed ginger remains unfazed about his future. Tinkler must guide Sekhukhune to victory in their final Betway Premiership clash away to Golden Arrows and hope that Stellenbosch FC drop points against Cape Town City on Saturday if they are to secure third place — the position that guarantees qualification for the CAF Confederation Cup. That was the mandate handed to him when he joined Sekhukhune midway through the season as a replacement for Lehlohonolo Seema, but failure to meet it does not necessarily mean he will be sacked. 'I don't think that's the case. It's too early for that,' was Tinkler's curt response when asked whether he fears for his job. As it stands, the experienced coach — who has led numerous local clubs and enjoyed credible runs in continental competitions — believes he has done a solid job so far at Sekhukhune. 'Definitely,' he said when asked if he was satisfied with his impact to date. 'Like I said to the players before this game (against Kaizer Chiefs), in the last seven matches you've collected 14 points. Now, if you do that throughout the season and show consistency in your results, you're fighting for the top two positions. 'Obviously what we've achieved so far is very, very good. But I would have preferred three points today because we want to finish third. And today felt more like we dropped two points.' Tinkler was speaking to the media in the bowels of the Peter Mokaba Stadium after Sekhukhune's 1-1 draw with Kaizer Chiefs. Ngoanmello Rammala had given Sekhukhune the lead, only for Glody Lilepo to equalise on the stroke of half-time. 'I'm not entirely happy because we were aiming to collect three points to ensure we held on to third spot. But with Stellies winning, they've gone a point ahead of us. That makes the final game even more important, and unfortunately, we now rely on others to help us out.' He admitted to being surprised by Chiefs' tactical approach. 'They caught us off guard by coming out with a 3-4-3 system. In the first half, we struggled to contain (Gaston) Sirino and Lilepo — they were effectively playing as two number tens. At the back, we gave them a few half-chances. 'On the ball, we had spoken about the importance of our penetration and movement. In the first half, we created chances and scored, which was positive.' However, he was disappointed with how his team conceded the equaliser. 'We had a great cross into the box, the ball came to Keletso (Makgalwa), but we lost possession and applied no pressure on (Yusuf) Mart, who played it straight through to Lilepo. We'd spoken about showing him outside because he wants to cut in and shoot with his right foot, and yet we let him go exactly where he's strongest. Conceding right before half-time was extremely disappointing for me.' Tinkler will no doubt be even more disappointed if Sekhukhune fail to qualify for continental football — a goal that now hinges as much on their own performance as on the results of their rivals.
News24
02-05-2025
- Sport
- News24
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.
News24
02-05-2025
- Sport
- News24
Tinkler full of praise: ‘Makgalwa is taking his profession seriously'
Sekhukhune United head coach Eric Tinkler is raving about his charge, Keletso Makgalwa, after the stocky attacker produced another player-of-the-match performance, this time against Orlando Pirates midweek. The 28-year-old in-form attacking midfielder provided an assist to Tresor Tshibwabwa, who scored the solitary goal that sunk Bucs at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto on Wednesday. Tinkler and Makgalwa first collaborated at Maritzburg United six years ago when the attacking midfielder was on loan from Mamelodi Sundowns. Makgalwa, who hails from Mokopane in Limpopo, parted ways with Sundowns last season and later surfaced at TS Galaxy, where he had a brief spell. The midfielder almost went into obscurity when he joined Upington City FC in the ABC Motsepe League last season. Thanks to Sekhukhune, Makgalwa returned to the elite league when he signed for Babina Noko in July last year. He has been a regular for the CAF spot-chasing Sekhukhune. Tinkler said he was impressed by how the player had matured and that the stocky Makgalwa was taking his profession "more seriously". Said the coach: You can see tha the wants to achieve things. He has become a rounded player and he just needs to make that next step. The third-placed Babina Noko take on Magsi FC next in a Limpopo derby in a Betway Premiership fixture on Saturday.
The Guardian
02-05-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Coalition condemned over promised cuts to foreign aid if they win election
The swingeing cuts to foreign aid promised by the Coalition – to be made simultaneously with significantly increased defence spending – would hurt the world's most vulnerable people and make Australia less safe, humanitarian groups have said. The Coalition's finance spokesperson, Jane Hume, announced on Thursday, two days before the federal election, that an elected Coalition government would cut $813m from Australia's foreign aid budget, with funding to the Pacific, Indonesia and Timor-Leste to be quarantined from reductions. 'We will cut waste, control expenditure growth and ensure that every dollar that is spent by government is focused on delivering essential services and strengthening our nation,' Hume told a press conference on Thursday. Sign up for the Afternoon Update: Election 2025 email newsletter With Australia's immediate region quarantined from reductions, the aid cuts would likely come from Australian development commitments to Africa and South Asia. Humanitarian groups argue the Coalition's announcement follows a 'disturbing global trend' of cuts to international development, including recent cuts to aid budgets from the US, UK, the Netherlands and Germany. The Trump administration, in particular, has cut 83% of the programs – worth 'tens of billions of dollars' – run by the US Agency for International Development, formerly the largest aid agency in the world. 'Security isn't just about bullets and bombs,' the chief executive of Save the Children Australia, Mat Tinkler, said. He added the Coalition's commitment to cut the aid budget by $813m over four years, while simultaneously promising to increase defence spending by $21bn over five years, was counter-productive. 'At a time of catastrophic global need, we'd hoped to see an increase in lifesaving aid – not an $813.5m cut that will likely hurt the world's most vulnerable children,' Tinkler said. 'We welcome the decision to spare the Pacific, Indonesia and Timor-Leste. But Australia has a responsibility beyond our region. We cannot turn our backs on Africa [and] South Asia … particularly at a time when children there need us more than ever.' Tinkler said both sides of Australian politics should commit to increasing – not cutting – aid spending from 0.65% of Australia's total budget to 1%. The Reverend Tim Costello, the executive director of Micah Australia, said Australia faced a more complex and unstable world and, at a time when other global donors were retreating, 'this is a moment for principled leadership, not retreat'. 'This is a deeply disappointing announcement,' he said. 'Real security isn't only built through defence spending – it's built through trust, stability and long-term partnerships. That's what aid delivers, and why it must not be allowed to fall further behind.' Matthew Maury, the chief executive of the Australian Council for International Development, said cutting aid, at a time of global uncertainty, 'risks weakening one of Australia's most effective tools for peace, prosperity and stability'. 'A strong aid program is not just generous – it is smart, strategic and deeply aligned with Australia's national interest.' There is significant disquiet over the proposed cuts from within members of the Coalition. A Liberal MP told the Guardian cuts to foreign aid were an abrogation of Liberal party values and of Australia's moral obligations to the developing world. 'It is a core Liberal value to support those in other parts of the world who, through mere circumstance of their birth, do not have the access to healthcare, education, personal safety and prosperity we enjoy in Australia. 'Investment in foreign aid is not a 'nice to have'. It is a key component of our identity as a compassionate neighbour and nation. That must and should continue to extend to Africa and south-east Asia.' In the lead-up to the Coalition releasing its election campaign costings, several Liberal party MPs told the Guardian they feared foreign aid would be raided to pay for other policy priorities. 'It is always an easy political fix to say 'let's cut foreign aid' and 'look after Australians first', but as a relatively wealthy nation … we have an obligation to help our neighbours as much as we can,' a backbencher said. Retiring Liberal MP Warren Entsch said it was 'absolutely critical' Australia maintained aid spending. 'With the uncertainty around decisions taken by the leader of the free world, I think it is important that we continue to step up and be part of the solution.' Australia's aid investment is currently 0.65% of the federal budget, down from 1.12% under former prime minister John Howard. As a share of gross national income, Australia's aid commitment is 0.18%, placing Australia 26th of 38 OECD nations in 2023, down from 14th in 2015.
