Bafana Bafana legend Benni McCarthy is in South Africa amid reports that he had talks with Mamelodi Sundowns with a view to replacing Manqoba Mngqithi.
South Africa’s leading scorer has been without a job since leaving Premier League giants Manchester United at the end of last season and was reported to have held talks with Sundowns in the UK early last month when the Brazilians had a stuttering start to the season.
That cast the spotlight on Mngqithi, whose suitability was called into question, but his team has since responded with five straight wins in the PSL and CAF Champions League.
McCarthy is, however, in the country for punditry duties as he will be among analysts for the UEFA Champions League this week with Tuesday’s big game being the clash between Arsenal and French giants Paris Saint-Germain at the Emirates Stadium.
Bafana Bafana legend will be on punditry duties
He will work alongside fellow former international stars during SuperSport’s hour-long build-up such as Shaun Bartlett, Bongani Khumalo and Kaylin Swart.
McCarthy, the only South African player to lift the Champions League, when he won the 2003-04 title with FC Porto, will also feature in his own special SuperSport Unplugged episode.
“We can’t begin to describe how thrilled we are to bring back football superstar Benni McCarthy to SuperSport’s screens for our viewers,” said SuperSport CEO Rendani Ramovha.
“Benni brings insights and knowledge of the game like nobody else on the globe, having spent 14 years playing in Europe, where he won the Champions League among many other high honours. He also has a deep connection to his South African roots, having returned to play for Orlando Pirates, winning them trophies, and also coaching the Citizens and AmaZulu.
What does the future hold for Benni?
“As a champion, Benni personifies our mission to connect people to their passion for sport because we know how passionate he is about the game and he will provide invaluable inputs during his guest appearances on Your World of Champions.”
McCarthy’s future has been a subject of debate since he left United where he worked for two years as the attacking coach.
He has been linked to MLS clubs besides clubs in South Africa and his arrival back home coincided with the sacking of AmaZulu coach Pablo Franco Martin and his assistant Aitor Van Den Brule.
The former Orlando Pirates, Ajax Amsterdam, FC Porto, Blackburn Rovers striker coached AmaZulu from December 2020 to March 2022 and led them to a record second place finish in the PSL to qualify for the CAF Champions League.
