Eric Tinkler

Eric Tinkler
Personal information
Date of birth (1970-07-30) 30 July 1970
Place of birth Roodepoort, South Africa
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)[1]
Position Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Asante Kotoko (head coach)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1990–1991 Wits University 18 (0)
1991–1992 União de Tomar 34 (5)
1992–1996 Vitória 84 (2)
1996–1997 Cagliari 20 (0)
1997–2002 Barnsley 99 (9)
2002–2005 Caldas 54 (15)
2005–2007 Bidvest Wits 29 (3)
Total 337 (34)
International career
1994–2002 South Africa 45 (1)
Managerial career
2013–2016 Orlando Pirates
2016–2017 Cape Town City
2017–2018 SuperSport United
2018 Chippa United
2019–2020 Maritzburg United
2021–2024 Cape Town City
2025–2026 Sekhukhune United
2026– Asante Kotoko
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Eric Tinkler (born 30 July 1970) is a South African football coach and former player who is the head coach of Ghana Premier League club Asante Kotoko.

Early and personal life

Tinkler was born in Roodepoort.[1]

Club career

Tinkler played club football for Wits University, União de Tomar, Vitória, Cagliari, Barnsley, Caldas and Bidvest Wits.[1]

Tinkler moved from Italian club Cagliari to English club Barnsley on 1 July 1997 for a transfer fee of £650,000.[2]

International career

Tinkler earned 45 caps for the South African national team between 1994 and 2002, scoring 1 goal.[1] He was part of the South Africa squad that won the 1996 African Cup of Nations, playing in the final.[3]

Coaching career

Tinkler became head coach of Orlando Pirates in December 2013; in May 2015, it was announced that he would continue in that role for the 2015–16 season.[4] Tinkler left Orlando Pirates to become the first head coach of Cape Town City club on 17 June 2016.[5] On 8 June 2017, he became head coach of SuperSport United.[6] He quit in March 2018.[7]

After a spell with Chippa United, he became manager of Maritzburg United in January 2019.[8] He left the club in November 2020.[9]

He returned as manager of Cape Town City on 24 May 2021.[10] On 31 December 2024, Tinkler left the club.[11]

He joined Sekhukhune United in March 2025.[12] He was voted the August 2025 South African Premiership coach of the month.[13] He left the club in April 2026 by mutual consent.[14]

On 17 July 2026, Tinkler was appointed as head coach of Ghana Premier League side Asante Kotoko.[15]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Barnsley 1997–98[16] Premier League 2522020-292
1998–99[17] First Division 2533020-303
1999–2000[18] 334105030424
2000–01[19] 000000-00
2001–02[20] 1600011-171
Total 999601013011810
Career total 999601013011810

International

South Africa national team[1]
YearAppsGoals
199450
199540
1996111
1997100
199800
199920
200060
200120
200250
Total451

Honours

Cape Town City

  • Telkom Knockout Final[21]

Supersport United

Individual

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Eric Tinkler". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
  2. ↑ Rupert Metcalf and Alan Nixon (2 July 1997). "Football: Tinkler joins the Barnsley party". The Independent. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
  3. ↑ "Bafana Bafana's 1996 African Cup of Nations victory remembered". KickOff. 3 February 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
  4. ↑ "Tinkler confirmed as Pirates coach for next season". Times Live. 18 May 2015. Archived from the original on 22 January 2017. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
  5. ↑ "Tinkler to lead Black Aces". SuperSport. 17 June 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
  6. ↑ "Stan Matthews backs Eric Tinkler to succeed at SuperSport United". KickOff. 8 June 2017. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
  7. ↑ Ashfak Mohamed (2 March 2018). "BREAKING: Eric Tinkler quits SuperSport United". IOL. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
  8. ↑ "South Africa - E. Tinkler - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". us.soccerway.com.
  9. ↑ November 2020, Dylan Appolis 23 (23 November 2020). "Maritzburg United part ways with Eric Tinkler". fourfourtwo.com.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  10. ↑ "Cape Town City confirm appointment of Eric Tinkler". Kick Off. 24 May 2021.
  11. ↑ Sherman, Michael (31 December 2024). "Cape Town City, Eric Tinkler part ways by 'mutual consent'". IOL.
  12. ↑ "Sekhukhune United Appoints Eric Tinkler as New Head Coach". centralnews.co.za. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
  13. ↑ "Dithejane, Tinkler, Sebelebele bag Betway Prem Monthly Awards". SuperSport. 4 September 2025. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
  14. ↑ Dube, Mthokozisi (14 April 2026). "What next for Sekhukhune United after Eric Tinkler exit?". FARPost ZA. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
  15. ↑ "Tinkler Appointed Head Coach At African Giants". Soccer Laduma. 17 July 2026.
  16. ↑ "Games played by Eric Tinkler in 1997/1998". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  17. ↑ "Games played by Eric Tinkler in 1998/1999". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  18. ↑ "Games played by Eric Tinkler in 1999/2000". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  19. ↑ "Games played by Eric Tinkler in 2000/2001". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  20. ↑ "Games played by Eric Tinkler in 2001/2002". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  21. ↑ "Tinkler's achievements don't surprise Khoza". citizen.co.za. 27 September 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  22. ↑ "'Winning trophies must become an addiction and a drug for us': Tinkler". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
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