Sekhukhune United head coach says it’s too early to dream about the league title but gave his squad the Mamelodi Sundowns example before their win over Kaizer Chiefs on Tuesday evening at FNB Stadium.
Sekhukhune went back top of the table ahead of the reigning champions who are chasing a ninth successive league title this season – after ending Chiefs unbeaten start to the campaign in a top-of-the-table showdown at the Calabash.
Bradley Grobler scored a brace on either side of Flavio da Silva’s goal and Thabang Monare made it a 3-1, which represented their fifth win in six games, with the other being a draw – moving Babina Noko to 16 points.
“It’s still very early days, only six games into the league, there’s still a very long road and I warned the players about complacency, because yes… we started well, we got 13 points from five games, but now we’re a target,” Tinkler said.
“We have to raise our level, work even harder than we did in the first cycle, we’re into a second cycle of five games, not can we maintain, be consistent, produce the same performances, the same energy, intensity, desire, work ethic, determination, sacrafice.
“I gave [the players] the example of Sundowns, they won the league eight years in a row – you think that’s hard… you think it’s hard now because you won five games in a row, try winning the league eight times in a row and see how much sacrifice you have to make.
“So I think the message was loud and clear for us to make sure we came out here and put on a good performance [to beat Kaizer Chiefs].”
Tinkler’s side will face Golden Arrows, Chippa United and Polokwane City in their next three league games before hosting Sundowns on 18 October at the Peter Mokaba Stadium.
