CAPE Town City are set to reappoint Eric Tinkler as their new coach.
Tinkler, who is without a club after leaving Maritzburg United last November, is set to return to the club alongside Vincent Kobola, according to a SunSport source.
Kobola, who is Baroka’s assistant coach, was Tinkler’s assistant at Maritzburg United and Chippa United.
City confirmed that they have “placed their coach Jan Olde Riekerink on administrative leave, with immediate effect” on Monday without explaining the reasons.
But a SunSport insider has revealed that the Dutch coach, who arrived in November 2019, clashed with some of the players.
This has led to a dressing room revolt and the City management, led by chairman John Comitis, decided to suspend the former Galatasaray coach.
Things have not gone well for Riekerink recently. The club suffered their biggest loss at home at the hands of AmaZulu (5-1) last month, and this past weekend lost 1-0 to TS Galaxy to remain seventh in the DStv Premiership table.
In the meantime, City confirmed that Diogo Peral, who was Riekerink’s lieutenant, will take charge until further notice.
It doesn’t come as a major surprise to see Tinkler make his return to City.
When the Mother City club bought the Premier Soccer League status of Mpumalanga Black Aces ahead of the 2016-17 season, the former Orlando Pirates mentor was the first coach the club appointed.
He led the new team when they were just 144 days old to the Telkom Knockout trophy after beating SuperSport United 2-1 in the final played in Polokwane.
However, at the end of that season, Tinkler was enticed by SuperSport to replace Stuart Baxter, who had been appointed Bafana Bafana coach.
Although Tinkler’s departure came as a huge shock and left a bitter taste in City’s mouths, he’s still popular with the Citizens and most of the players he coached back in that first season are still playing for the team.
