Cape Town City coach Eric Tinkler has insisted Mamelodi Sundowns having four games in hand doesn’t mean they will automatically pick up 12 points from those games.
City moved up to third on the DStv Premiership table when they picked up a fifth consecutive league win on Friday, beating Royal AM.
The club are now just two points behind log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, who have however played four games fewer.
But with SuperSport United missing an opportunity to go top of the table when they lost to Sekhukhune United on the weekend, it will be City who will have the next chance to possibly move above Sundowns.
City play Golden Arrows away when the league resumes, and with that match three days before Sundowns plays again, a victory for Eric Tinkler’s team would take them above the defending champions.
“Ja, we will continue, just going game by game,” Tinkler said after beating Royal AM.
“I must be honest, me, I’m not happy. We won, yes, we won, [but] I’m not happy about the last game [too]. Yes, we won, [but I’m not happy] because we’re not playing how I think we should be playing, especially when we go up.
“I judge myself as a coach when I see what we practice being fulfilled. Beginning of the season you’re losing games, but you’re playing good football.
“I still have a smile on my face because we’re playing good football, we’re playing the brand that we want to play. Am I disappointed we lost, obviously. Am I happy that we won, obviously. But deep down, I’m like, we can do a lot better.”
Tinkler said he will be happy to move above Sundowns, and feels that while Rulani Mokwena’s team do have a lot of games in hands, points are still key.
“I think what’s important is points in the bag,” Tinkler continued.
“Points in the bag is what is key. I don’t now look and say, okay, three, four games down. Possibly when I play against Sundowns… points in the bag.
“We’re two points behind Sundowns now but they’ve got games in hand. But games in hand, there’s no guarantee that they’re gonna collect 3, 3, 3. That’s the way I judge it.
“And even when I was at Maritzburg, that first season, I wasn’t looking, ‘oh, how do I get to 12th or 13th?’ I’m just looking at who’s in front of me, can I close that gap between myself and who’s in front of me? And that’s the way I’ll continue doing it.”
