Reports in the local media have surfaced indicating that Orlando Pirates coach Eric Tinkler and defender Rooi Mahamutsa had a fall out prior to the team's second leg CAF Confederation Cup final against eventual champions, Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia.
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Tinkler has slammed the reports, indicating that there is and was no issue between himself and the player. The Siya crew has since caught up with a source within the Bucs camp, who explained how some people may have perceived there to be an issue between the coach and defender.
"There is no issue between Eric and Rooi, none at all. Before the second leg tie the team was training and there was some confusion between Happy Jele and Bibo (Thandani Ntshumayelo), on who was suspended for the game.
"Rooi would have come in for Happy if he was suspended, but it was Bibo who was suspended. In a training session before the game (second leg), the team was set up as they would start for the actual game. Rooi was called over by the coach and told that Happy was starting, and explained why.
"Rooi went to go train with Tebza (assistant coach Tebogo Moloi) while Eric took the session with the players that would be starting the game."
"It may have seemed from the bystanders that the two had a disagreement, but I can tell you that there was and is no issue between them," explained the source.
