Kaizer Chiefs legend agrees with Benni McCarthy over big PSL bias

Bafana Bafana legend Benni McCarthy has complained several times over the tendency of South Africa’s biggest clubs to overlook locals when it comes to the coaching job.

McCarthy has previously lamented about being overlooked by Mamelodi Sundowns, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates in favour of foreign coaches when he is as good as anyone else and the same has been shared by other South African tacticians.

Kaizer Chiefs legend Brian Baloyi has also voiced strong concerns about the treatment of local coaches, highlighting the case of Amakhosi’s DStv Diksi Challenge coach Dillon Sheppard to illustrate his point.

Baloyi’s comments follow the recent departure of head coach Nasreddine Nabi from the Soweto giants, which saw interim duties handed to Khalil Ben Youssef and Cedric Kaze.

Brian Baloyi hits out at PSL coaching bias

Speaking on the Carwash Podcast, the former goalkeeper argued that South African football consistently fails to appreciate its own talent.

“I think our biggest challenge as South African football and as South Africans is that we don’t value our own, we don’t respect our own,” Baloyi stated as per KickOff.

The celebrated shot-stopper explained that this attitude extends beyond coaching and also affects players, particularly those over the age of 30 who he believes are often marginalised by clubs.

“It’s no longer about your ability… it’s the disrespect that starts with your age,” the former keeper shared.

Chiefs legend wants more locals at ‘Big Three’

Baloyi questioned the fairness of opportunities given to local coaches, using a hypothetical scenario involving Sheppard, who was already coaching at the club when Nabi left.

“Let’s say Dillon Sheppard was the assistant to Nasreddine Nabi. Do you think Chiefs would have given him a chance to coach until now?” Baloyi asked. “Would Chiefs, or even Orlando Pirates or Mamelodi Sundowns, give this man a chance? No, they wouldn’t.”

Baloyi insisted that the nation’s football culture has a long way to go in recognising its homegrown talent. He pointed out that while South African coaches like Fadlu Davids and Bradley Carnell are making their mark overseas, local clubs often look to Europe for new hires.

“When Chiefs are in conversation with a coach, you start seeing things popping up about European coaches,” he added. “[But] we have our own all over the continent that are doing extremely well, and clubs are not giving them an opportunity.”