Eric Tinkler makes honest Keletso Makgalwa admission | OneFootball

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Tinkler lifts lid about impact of transfer speculation on Makgalwa

Photo: Phillip Maeta

Sekhukhune United coach Eric Tinkler has made an honest admission regarding talisman Keletso Makgalwa, who has been subject to intense transfer speculation following his exploits in the previous campaign.

The 28-year-old winger had a stellar 2024/25 season upon his return to the topflight division, scoring four goals and providing 11 assists in 28 appearances across all competitions. He finished the Betway Premiership campaign as the top assist provider.

As a result, the player was nominated for the prestigious PSL Footballer of the season award and player’s player of the season award. This linked Makgalwa with a move away from the Limpopo club, events the former Cape Town City mentor admits took a toll on the player.

“I think last season he had a great season and obviously a lot of speculation come the end of the season about where his future lies and a lot of it was through the media. I think it affected him at the beginning of the season,” said Tinkler.

“He didn’t perform well in pre-season, in the friendly games that we played. He didn’t perform well in the first three matches; in fact, he wasn’t great.

Tinkler went on to reveal a sit down with the former Mamelodi Sundowns star in a bid to assure him that Babina Noko would not block his exit in the event of a suitable offer. Moreover, the 55-year-old tactician challenged Makgalwa to translate last season’s form into the ongoing term.

“I needed to sit him down, talk about managing a player – that was my task, managing him and making him aware that he is a Sekhukhune United player and if a right offer came then that offer would be accepted,” he added.

“But if it’s not the right offer, then he will continue to be a Sekhukhune player. So, he needed to understand that, and I think gradually he’s come to recognize that the opportunity [to leave] is still there, it will come again.

“Can he repeat what he did last season, this season? Then people might take him more seriously and I had to sit with him and show him that he has become a target [to the opposition]. When you’re successful people will start targeting you. Players and teams have now studied him; we showed him clips and every time he’s on the ball there are two players around him and pressing him.