Former Bafana Bafana midfielder returns to the Betway Premiership after leaving Ghanaian giants Asante Kotoko, with a top-eight finish among his targets.
Durban City have officially appointed Eric Tinkler as their new head coach, with the experienced tactician returning to South African football to lead the club through the remainder of the 2026/27 season.
The club confirmed Tinkler's appointment on Thursday, 8 October, following their parting of ways with Tunisian coach Khalil Ben Youssef after a difficult start to the Betway Premiership campaign.
Tinkler arrives in Durban after a brief spell with Ghanaian giants Asante Kotoko, whom he left after just a few league matches to return to South Africa.
The former Orlando Pirates, Cape Town City, SuperSport United and Sekhukhune United coach brings extensive experience to a Durban City side balancing domestic ambitions with its CAF Confederation Cup campaign.
Tinkler excited by Durban City project
Tinkler said the club's ambition and progress made the decision to take the job an easy one.
“I'm excited to be part of what is being built here at Durban City FC,” he said.
“The club is very ambitious; they have made positive strides in a short space of time, competing in the CAF Confederation Cup already, and that made my decision easy.”
The appointment also reunites Tinkler with Durban City chairman Farook Kadodia, with whom he previously worked at Maritzburg United. During that spell, Tinkler guided the team to the final of the 2019 Telkom Knockout Cup.
“The chairman is someone I've worked with before. When the opportunity presented itself to come back, I grabbed it with both hands,” he added.
Top eight and continental progress on the agenda
Tinkler has made it clear that he does not intend to overhaul a squad that enjoyed success last season, when Durban City lifted the Nedbank Cup and secured qualification for continental competition.
Instead, his immediate priority is to build on the existing foundations and get the team back to winning ways.
“I don't want to make massive changes because last season the club was successful. It's about giving others an opportunity and getting back to winning ways,” he said.
The new coach has set his sights on a top-eight finish in the Betway Premiership, a strong run in the CAF Confederation Cup and competing for the Carling Knockout Cup and Nedbank Cup.
Kadodia welcomed the appointment, saying Tinkler's experience and understanding of South African football made him the right person to lead the club.
Tinkler's first match in charge is scheduled to be a KwaZulu-Natal derby against AmaZulu at Chatsworth Stadium on Tuesday, 13 October.
The fixture will provide his first opportunity to begin turning Durban City's season around as the club looks to build on last campaign's cup success and establish itself among South Africa's leading sides.
