Johannesburg - So Eric Tinkler enjoys some semblance of success as a head coach and he suddenly believes he can tell the media what questions to ask him or how they should report. Ja nee!
Ahead of the past weekend’s CAF Confederation Cup group tie with AC Leopards, the Orlando Pirates coach threw his toys out of the cot over what was clearly the biggest talking point regarding the Buccaneers.
With Brighton Mhlongo out injured, Pirates had just one goalkeeper - Felipe Ovono - for the match that they duly won 2-0 to book their place in the semis of the continent’s second tier knockout competition. But before Mpho Makola and Oupa Manyisa scored goals that put the Congolese side to the sword on Saturday night, Tinkler had behaved like a prima donna late Friday at Orlando Stadium.
Any journalist worth his salt knew the only story prior to that match was how Pirates were going to handle the goalkeeping situation. And even on Tuesday night after they beat Chippa United in a league match, a question along those lines was put to the Bucs coach.
He jokingly asked that the story of their not having a natural reserve goalkeeper be kept under wraps only for the club’s media person to suggest that journalists attend Friday’s training session so the coach can discuss the issue.
They duly went only to have Tinkler behave like a diva.
Here’s how it went down:
Journalist:“Coach, have you figured out who will deputise for him (Ovono) tomorrow?”
Tinkler:“Should he get injured, you mean. He’s not gonna get injured!”
Journalist:“Obviously we’ll pull all our inyangas to make sure he doesn’t get injured. But have you figured it out?”
Tinkler:“I have, and I’m not telling you”
Journalist:“Okay, will you have that person wearing the goalkeeping gear tomorrow?”
Tinkler:“No, no I won’t be telling you (laughs).”
Journalist:“Psychologically, that thing - has it worked on you guys?”
Tinkler:“What do you mean?”
Journalist: Going into tomorrow with one goalkeeper?”
Tinkler:“No, because I have all confidence Ovono will be fine. He is an experienced goalkeeper, he knows how to protect himself. And I don’t foresee any issues in that regard.
So far, so good! And then the wheels came off.
Journalist:“No worries, especially when you know how serious this game is and also the opposition coming here knowing (that you only have one goalkeeper) and might come with some funny ploy?”
Tinkler:“Be positive guys; not because you start writing things that are negative, which is wrong. No, I am telling you to be positive otherwise I end the interview now. I am serious. Because you guys are causing it, you’re causing it. Let me ask you, would we know if they only had one goalkeeper? Would we know? No we wouldn’t because the media would protect them. But you guys are not looking to protect. I hope you’re not filming this, switch it off. Thandi, (Merafe, the Pirates media officer) I’m getting upset here. Do you understand? Stop asking silly questions and putting rubbish in the newspapers. Start writing a little bit of positive things. You’re being negative now, why continue on the same subject.”
Well, Eric - they continued on the same subject because it was a subject that needed to be discussed fully. You had not answered their questions satisfactorily and they were trying to get that out of you.
For one, the Pirates fans needed to be put at ease that their club had a plan to replace their only goalkeeper should the need be. That the opposition were to know about your goalkeeping dilemma is not for the media to worry about.
If you’ve not cottoned on to it yet, the fact is that while we are patriotically behind Pirates’ efforts to do well on the continent, we are not the club’s public relations machine.
This much your colleagues actually showed to understand as your assistant Teboho Moloi calmly discussed the same goalkeeping issue on a radio show and told listeners the club had a plan to deal with it without giving away too much. Club administrator Flloyd Mbele was also on the television on Thursday discussing the same matter.
As it is, the fact that Pirates only have two goalkeepers registered for the competition is actually a reflection on the technical team that failed to make their superiors realise that letting Ralph Zikalala go to Golden Arrows was short-changing them. And as head coach, you should shoulder the blame for that Mr Tinkler. That’s perhaps the only negative in this saga. Then you come around and think you can dictate what the media reports, please!
Are you aware those same reporters who attended a late afternoon session when they could easily have done their previews earlier without allowing you the platform to discuss your plans, are among those who have followed Pirates’ progress on the continent unfailingly? They have been to the airport whenever Pirates arrived from their matches - be it early morning or late in the evening. And they told the ‘positive story’ of the Buccaneers’ good run.
Of course it is a good run, one that no doubt all South Africans are happy about and willing Pirates on to more.
But it is not success yet. Not until you hand the trophy to Irvin Khoza like Ronald Mkhandawire did with the Champions Cup almost 20 years ago. And even then, as a coach you will continue to be under scrutiny - your job never fully guaranteed.
For someone working in an industry that treats its exponents like disposable razors, perhaps it is about time you exercised some courtesy to the media Mr Tinkler. I suggest you get some pointers from your seasoned colleagues fast because the diva tendencies you pulled won’t help your cause at all. And they are not a good reflection on a brand as big as Pirates that some people lost their lives to build over the years.
The Star