Orlando Stadium will be the venue for this first leg of the battle to decide who eventually lifts the trophy on November 29.
With the trip to Etoile’s base in the Tunisian coastal city of Sousse definite to be as hostile as it will be frightening – with the hosts fans also employing underhand methods of unsettling Bucs through the use of lasers – Tinkler is rallying The Ghost to also provide the energy from the stands by not only packing the stadium, but standing at full voice.
“Very crucial,” reacted Tinkler on Friday evening upon being questioned about how crucial the 12th man will be on the night.
“We need their backing, we need their support. It is very important – even if it might happen that the team starts poorly – that we get behind them because the players need that confidence. They need that support behind them.
“It shouldn’t only come from us on the bench, but also the supporters … that is very important.”|
While an ocean of black will be the colour of choice at Orlando for the first-ever meeting between these two clubs, what Pirates stands to face the following week at Stade Olympique Sousse is what should encourage the Ghost to support their team while intimidating the visitors.
“We have shown the players that it is a very hostile environment that they will encounter there, plus you have the problems of the lasers that they shine in the players’ eyes. So we are going to face that when we get there and they [Etoile] need to face it when they get here. So rather express your anger on them instead of us.”
All the tickets have been sold out for a game that Tinkler views as being an opportunity of a lifetime.
“It is a matter of pride for us because this is a lifetime opportunity to play in a final as you will never know when it will come again. We need to grab it with both hands and end this journey on a positive note and make the country proud while ultimately make the Pirates fans proud,” he says.