Cape Town City coach Eric Tinkler has opened up about the forced retirement of club legend Lebogang Manyama, saying he is gutted.
Recently, Manyama announced his sudden retirement from professional football due to a knee injury, after being miraculously misdiagnosed with a medial collateral ligament injury, while in fact he had tore his anterior cruciate ligament.
Tinkler, who was reportedly keen to welcome the 32-year-old midfielder back at the club, said Manyama made the right decision to call it quits.
“I feel for him, because I got to work with Lebo and got to see first-hand the depth of his injury, how difficult it was for him to try and get over it,” Tinkler told Sunday World this week during the DStv Premiership launch at MultiChoice City in Randburg.
“And it’s always hard as a professional to call it quits. I found it hard myself, I had a serious injury and the doctor came to me and said maybe you should retire,” said Tinkler.
“I managed prolong my career for another five years, but to the detriment, I now suffer with chronic knee and back pains.
“It was a hard decision to make because of the love of the game. I understand how he must have felt, but I think he made the right decision.”
Manyama was among the first players to represent the club when chairman John Comitis bought the now defunct Black Aces in 2016.
He was also the first player to captain the side and lead it to lift the Telkom Knockout in their debut season.
His stellar performance with the Citizens earned him a move to Europe, where he spent a season with Turkish Super Lig side Konyaspor.
He then returned to South Africa and joined Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs.
With City set to campaign in their eighth season in the top flight, Tinkler will be eager to guide the Cape Town-based outfit to another top-eight finish on the log.
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