Eric Tinkler reveals Sekhukhune United set themselves a Nedbank Cup as priority early in the season

Sekhukhune United will approach this weekend’s Nedbank Cup test with renewed purpose as they take on Motsepe Foundation Championship side Highbury FC in the last 32. 

Years of Babina Noko’s relationship with the Nedbank Cup is already a meaningful one. 

The Limpopo-based outfit reached the final of the competition in the 2022–23 campaign, falling narrowly to Orlando Pirates in a 2–1 defeat. 

It remains the closest Sekhukhune have come to lifting major silverware, and that memory continues to shape their ambitions under head coach Eric Tinkler.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Tinkler made little effort to downplay the importance of the competition, openly admitting that the Nedbank Cup has been a priority since the start of the campaign.

“First and foremost, as Sekhukhune we want to go all the way, I set this competition as a target at the start of the season,” said Tinkler.

“As I’ve said before to everyone, I’m a very ambitious coach, I want to achieve things so we’re taking this game very seriously.”

Those ambitions are underpinned by the current league landscape. Sekhukhune sit fifth on the Betway Premiership standings, six points adrift of leaders Orlando Pirates. 

While they remain competitive domestically, the gap at the summit makes the Nedbank Cup their most realistic path to both silverware and qualification for CAF interclub competition next season.

However, Tinkler was quick to warn against complacency, particularly given the familiar dangers that come with facing lower-division opposition in knockout football.

“As much as we’re playing an NFD team, the way we apply ourselves in this match is going to be the most important factor,” he explained.

“What tends to happen when playing lower division teams is people drop their level, so that’s been the message I’ve been sending the players over the past couple of days and that we need to instead raise our levels.”

Sekhukhune arrive at the fixture with a measure of momentum, having recently navigated a demanding run of fixtures in the league. 

Their victory over TS Galaxy brought an end to a challenging period that tested both squad depth and mental resilience.

“We’ve come off four difficult matches in the space of 12 days and ended that difficult run with a win, so we need to build on that,” Tinkler said.

That result has reinforced the coach’s belief that his squad is growing in maturity and consistency — traits that are often decisive in cup competitions where fine margins and concentration levels can define an entire season.

For Sekhukhune, the visit to Highbury FC represents more than just another fixture. 

It is the first step in a competition they have openly targeted, one that carries the promise of redemption after past near-misses. 

Whether ambition translates into execution on the pitch will ultimately determine how far Babina Noko can go, but the message from the technical bench is clear: this is a campaign they intend to take all the way.