Tinkler appointment finally confirmed

Eric Tinkler’s appointment as Durban City coach has finally been confirmed, ending weeks of rumours about the sacking of Khaled Ben Youssef and the return to the Betway Premiership of the former Bafan Bafana midfielder.

Tinkler left his job in Ghana at Asante Kotoko late last month to take up the City post, which was widely reported but not confirmed by the club, who waited until Thursday to also announce Ben Youssef’s departure.

City will be Tinkler’s eighth club in his top-flight coaching career, following on his spells at Bidvest Wits and Orlando Pirates, where he was a long-serving caretaker, and at Cape Town City (two spells), SuperSport United, Chippa United, Maritzburg United and Sekhukhune United, who fired him towards the end of last season.

🚨𝐂𝐋𝐔𝐁 𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐒🚨 𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐂 𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐊𝐋𝐄𝐑 𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐎𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐀𝐒 𝐃𝐔𝐑𝐁𝐀𝐍 𝐂𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐅𝐂 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐀𝐂𝐇 READ MORE: https://t.co/ckHojAgqiR ⚪️🔵🌊 #DurbanCityFC #OurTeamOurCity https://t.co/tnwXdqh2BV — Durban City FC (@DurbanCity_FC) October 8, 2026

He has had a total of 395 games as a top-flight coach in South African football and City’s home match against AmaZulu at Chatsworth Stadium on Tuesday will be his 366th.

Tinkler will then have two matches in the African Confederation Cup against AS Port Louis 2000 of Mauritius as they look to qualify for the group phase.

Youssef departs after 10 games in charge, winning only three against Premiership newcomers Kruger United and two ties in the Confederation Cup against Rukinzo of Burundi.