Orlando Pirates coach Eric Tinkler says a derby match against Soweto rivals Kaizer Chiefs is always fiercely contested.
|||Johannesburg – Despite the match being akin to a pre-season friendly with fan-chosen starting line-ups, Orlando Pirates coach Eric Tinkler, speaking ahead of the Carling Black Label Cup clash against Kaizer Chiefs at FNB Stadium on Saturday, says a derby match is always fiercely contested.
“A game between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates is never a friendly. It’s the derby. Nobody likes losing it,” said Tinkler.
“We’re going out there to win it because that’s what the fans want, that’s what the fans demand. I’ve tried to instil a winning mentality here with the (Pirates) players, irrespective of whether we are playing a competitive match or a friendly. We always play to win, and that won’t be any different on Saturday.”
While most teams enjoyed a well-deserved rest from competitive football in the off-season, Pirates kept hard at work as they have continued on their way through Caf Confederation Cup Group assignments.
As a result, Pirates are match-fit and may be close to exhaustion from their unrelenting run of matches. Tinkler said the lead-up to the derby match would be about giving his players as much rest as possible to ensure they are fresh for the weekend.
“The last two days I’ve been resting the guys as much as possible so that we can put on a good spectacle. That’s what people expect at FNB stadium in a game that is full of goal-scoring opportunities and entertainment. We want to provide that, and the only way we can is if our players get enough rest.”
It will be the fifth staging of the pre-season Cup match, and Pirates have won the event three times while Chiefs have tasted victory just once. Tinkler said the fans would look forward to a pulsating, high-scoring affair.
“People want to come and watch a good, entertaining game of football. When we refer to entertainment, we refer to goals. People want to see goals scored and we want to provide that. We try to do that in all the derbies, but a lot of hype and pressure is put onto players on derby day. There is slightly too much pressure placed on the players when it comes to derbies and players need to be given more freedom and ability to express themselves.” - ANA
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