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Matlaba: Let's win it for coach Tinkler

Cape Town - Orlando Pirates captain Thabo Matlaba says the Buccaneers are determined win the 2016 Nedbank Cup for coach Eric Tinkler.

The rewards for winning the Nedbank Cup are quite huge, there is ending the season on the high by winning the premier knockout competition and going to represent the country in next year's CAF Confederation Cup.

For Matlaba and his team mates, there is a third motivation, win it so as to ease the pressure that coach Eric Tinkler is under. The mentor has faced a lot of criticism in the season where the Buccaneers were underwhelming, going from fighting for continental glory to fighting to finish in the top eight.

That's why Pirates' captain Matlaba is driven to lead his side against SuperSport United on Saturday at Peter Mokaba Stadium to ease that pressure on Tinkler.

"It's important that we win this cup, especially for the coach," Matlaba told Vodacom Soccer. "Since he has been the head coach of Pirates he hasn't won anything.

"It's important for us that we also do this for him. He has been doing well and he has been working very hard. He has been motivating us to do well. We have done that in these past games, especially in the Nedbank Cup. So if we can win this Nedbank Cup, he will be able to say at least I did something with a big team and won something with them."

Despite struggling in the league, the Buccaneers have been impressive in the Nedbank Cup where they claimed the scalps of their arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs, Jomo Cosmos, Mamelodi Sundowns and Free State Stars to reach the final.

"I would be happy if we could end this season with a cup," Matlaba added. "It's been one of the worst seasons that we have had as Orlando Pirates, a big team.

"We didn't start the season well. The objective was to finish third, that didn't happen. Now we have an opportunity to finish with some silverware on Saturday.

"That would change the whole thing if we could get this cup."

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