The 2024/25 season of the Betway Premiership has been one of the most exciting in the last seven years, not only on the field of play but also off the field, with teams making changes to their technical staff.
Change is usually driven by the need to improve a team’s performance, but in an unusual turn of events, Sekhukhune United dismissed head coach Lehlohonolo Seema on the verge of their Nedbank Cup quarter-final clash against Mamelodi Sundowns.
The decision came as a surprise, as Babina Noko were performing well in the league, sitting in fourth place and looking likely to secure a top-four finish at the end of the campaign, backed by a string of impressive performances.
Former Cape Town City mento Eric Tinkler has since been appointed to lead the Limpopo-based outfit, taking over from the Lesotho international. He will be assisted by former AmaZulu defender Mark van Heerden, with Paulus Masehe also moving over from Seema’s technical team.
The former Pirates coach returns to Sekhukhune just a few months after being dismissed by Cape Town City, following a series of poor results that left the club at risk of being dragged into the relegation battle. He has since been replaced at City by Muhsin Ertugral, despite leading them to a fourth-place finish in the 2022/23 season and following it up with an impressive fifth-place finish last season — competing against teams with far greater resources.
Tinkler is familiar with life at the top end of the table, and with a solid foundation in place, Babina Noko have a strong opportunity to finish the season well. A potential qualification for continental football, along with a crucial quarterfinal clash against Sundowns in the Nedbank Cup, could mark a significant turning point for the former Bafana Bafana captain.
Sekhukhune have consistently remained in the top half of the table, but recent results have not gone their way. Two league losses — 4-2 against Sundowns and 2-1 away to Richards Bay FC — allowed Stellenbosch FC to leapfrog them into third place.
Tinkler’s immediate challenge will be a tough away league encounter against a confident Marumo Gallants side, who have produced positive results since Abdeslam Ouaddou took over from Dan Malesela last month.
Fresh off a nervy Nedbank Cup quarterfinal win on penalties against Durban City (0-0 in regular time, 4-1 on penalties), Gallants will host Sekhukhune at the Seisa Ramabodu Stadium on Wednesday (7.30pm kick-off), hoping to secure three crucial points in their battle for survival.
Keletso Makgalwa secured a 1-0 win for Sekhukhune with a 67th-minute strike in the reverse fixture at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium in December. Following their recent 1-0 loss to Stellenbosch, Gallants will have little choice but to spoil Tinkler’s welcome party in a bid to keep their top-flight status alive.