Benni McCarthy backed for Bafana Bafana job ahead of Pitso Mosimane
Cape Town City FC coach Benni McCarthy has received strong backing to become the next Bafana Bafana coach ahead of Pitso Mosimane. TS Galaxy chairman Tim Sukazi has publicly endorsed McCarthy as the ideal successor to Hugo Broos.
Sukazi believes McCarthy has demonstrated enough quality throughout his coaching career to earn the opportunity to lead South Africa's national team. He pointed to McCarthy's achievements in the Premier Soccer League as evidence that he is ready for the role.
"He has done a splendid job at all the teams he coached here when he was a novice in the coaching field," Sukazi stated as quoted by the Sowetan. The TS Galaxy chairman highlighted McCarthy's success at Cape Town City FC, where he won the MTN8 title, and his impressive second-place finish with AmaZulu in the league.
Sukazi insisted that, if given the opportunity to choose, he would select McCarthy ahead of every other coach linked with the position, including veteran tactician Pitso Mosimane. "He's young. So, if you ask me, I will go for Benni McCarthy, no doubt about it," Sukazi declared. "I am saying that with the utmost respect to other candidates. I don’t know if Benni is a candidate, and I don’t know the other candidates."
Sukazi also questioned several of Broos' public comments regarding South African players. Referring to defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi's move to the United States, he challenged Broos' criticism of the transfer. "When Mbokazi left for the US, he said the [US] league is poor and he should have moved to better leagues. But now who was our best player at the World Cup playing in what league?" Sukazi asked.
He further criticised Broos' assessment of youngster Relebohile Mofokeng, claiming the coach's remarks could negatively influence perceptions of the player's ability. "He has already made statements about Rele that he is weak; he must be strong; he won’t play in six months, influencing the minds [of Belgian team Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, where Mofokeng plays]," he said.
Sukazi also suggested Mofokeng only earned meaningful minutes because of circumstances during the tournament rather than being part of Broos' original plans. "I think you know Rele was not in his plans to play from what I saw [during the World Cup]; the red card for Themba Zwane gave him the opportunity. He was third in line in that position. He was taken there to learn."
Sukazi's endorsement of McCarthy stands in sharp contrast to the position taken by South Africa's Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, just weeks earlier.
