Cape Town - Maritzburg United chairperson Farook Kadodia has set coach Eric Tinkler the objective of trying to finish inside the top eight while playing attractive football, next season.

Maritzburg endured a tough season in 2018/19 as they narrowly avoided relegation via the playoffs after Tinkler managed to turn the team around in the closing weeks of the campaign.

As such, Kadodia wants a more stable team going in 2019/20 and expects that Tinkler strive to the highest standards.

The former Orlando Pirates coach recently signed a two-year deal with the outfit from Pietermaritzburg.

Speaking to Soccer Laduma, Kadodia said: "This is an aspirational project. We obviously want to be stronger next season and stay in the top eight.

Despite losing both Fortune Makaringe and Siphesihle Ndlovu to Orlando Pirates, the Team of Choice boss promised that no further players will be released.

He concluded: "That's pressure, but we have a coach that we have entrusted with playing a good brand of football and we have promised him that we will beef up the team and won't allow any more players to leave."