Tinkler: To Get Lyle Was Our Key Objective

Mashego was snapped up by the DStv Premiership champions in the week prior to the transfer window closing,  and the loss of the Bafana Bafana defender could have really disrupted City’s plans for the season.

Mashego had been a key player for City in the weeks prior to his exit, and while Tinkler said Marc Van Heerden was a capable back-up, he has different attributes as a defender and bringing in someone like Lakay was their key objective.

“Ja, exactly, and I think we made it an important task to try and bring Lyle, because as you mentioned, Terrence was going to be a massive loss, and to replace him was going to be extremely, extremely difficult,” Tinkler told iDiski Times. 

“So I think to get Lyle was our key objective. And, my chairman obviously needs to take a lot of credit for managing that. 

“Otherwise, it would have been a difficult task to try and replace him, and that’s nothing against Marc, Marc has other attributes. And he was exceptional now in the Congo, when he played left back. 

“But ja, Lyle brings you a lot of experience, set pieces, same forward play that Terrence offers. So it’s almost his twin,  just a slightly older one, which we are happy to have.”

Lakay is well known for being a consummate professional, and Tinkler said that was also key in why they brought him back to the club.

“Exactly, so that was the advantage of bringing him because he had already been at the club,” Tinkler explained. 

“I know him personally, obviously the club knows him, knows the character, knows the level of professionalism. 

“And when you go out there, and you’re looking to find a replacement, what you might see on the football pitch is positive things, but in terms of the personality, the character, it might be something else, and that’s one major problem when you bring in new players, that you potentially don’t know the character, you know the footballing side of the player, but you don’t know the character, and you don’t realise how much there can affect the group. 

“And if there’s one thing I always want in my group is harmony. They don’t have to be friends, but at least they’re teammates, and that when we work, we work as a team, both offensively defensively, and Lyle has those characteristics.”