Cape Town City coach Eric Tinkler says clubs like the Citizens, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates need to raise their level to compete with Mamelodi Sundowns, who are “walking leagues” at the moment.
In the last 10 seasons, Sundowns have won nine league titles and now seven in a row, which something that has never been done before.
Last campaign, Masandawana won the league title with a 23 points difference ahead of second-place Orlando Pirates and Tinkler emphasised that teams, coaches and players need to raise their level to close the gap that Sundowns has created.
“We have to raise the level. Sundowns is walking with leagues at the moment. All of us – us, Pirates, Chiefs, everybody – we have to raise the level,” Tinkler told journalists.
“But it’s not us as coaches only. Yes, us as coaches we have to raise the level, but the ones who perform on the field are not us, it’s the players. They’re going to have to raise their game.
“You want to put bums in seats, you want to compete against Sundowns, you’ve got to raise your level individually.
“So that has been the message that we’ve been relaying to players who have that talent, like Jaedin [Rhodes].”
Tinkler also emphasised how a player like Rhodes must focus on improving every day and stay grounded despite all the praise coming his way.
“Right at the beginning of the season, we spoke to the players and we said, every day at training think about 1% more. Every day that I come in, can I add 1% more? 1% more to my effort, 1% more of my work attitude, 1% in terms of my tactical approach to game,” he continued.
“And I look at Jaedin, can Jaedin give one more assist, one more goal? That’s got to be his objective, that’s got to be his targets, because he’s building himself.
“Because we can see the talent, the talent is there. Now, can we turn that talent into consistency and raise the level?
“Today in social media, it’s so easy to put someone up there and make them superstars, and sometimes it’s too soon,
“They need to stay grounded, and Jaedin needs to stay grounded because there’s a lot of room for improvement.”
