- Benni McCarthy thinks that South African players possess significant talent, yet their insufficient drive stops them from competing at leading European football clubs.
- Following his tenure at Manchester United, the ex-Bafana Bafana forward took over as the head coach of Kenya's national squad.
- Ever since, this 47-year-old individual has been at the helm of Harambee Stars for their participation in two significant World Cup qualifying matches against Gambia and Gabon.
Benny McCarthy, the 47-year-old head coach of Kenya's national squad, is encountering backlash following his assertion that South African players do not possess sufficient drive.
The ex-Manchester United coach took over as the Harambee Stars manager at the start of March.
Up until now, the South African international has coached two important games for the Kenyan national side, facing off against Gambia and Gabon.
What McCarthy commented on the South African players.
During an interview with NTV, McCarthy talked about the condition of South African soccer, mentioning that although South Africa boasts a wealth of talented individuals, the drive and aspiration among the players are quite minimal.
"South Africa boasts immense talent with players emerging from all corners, yet they have rather modest aspirations," McCarthy stated.
The ex-Blackburn Rovers player revealed that during his youth in South Africa, his dream was to represent Manchester United, and he put in immense effort to make that happen.
During my childhood in South Africa, my ambition was to become a player for Manchester United. I dedicated myself to working as diligently as possible towards this dream, but if I didn't succeed, I resolved to at least compete against them.
McCarthy stated that should he fail to join United, he would strive to compete against them anyway, viewing this as a crucial step just shy of his primary objective.
The former Orlando Pirates player mentioned that although South African footballers exhibit remarkable skill and hold great promise for success, numerous players prefer remaining in their home nation.
He highlighted that they hesitate to step outside their comfort zones, viewing this reluctance as a way of undervaluing themselves.
They prefer staying put as they're comfortable where they are, but I believe this is undervaluing oneself since to excel, one must compete with top-tier opponents.
Audience responses to McCarthy's comments about South African players.
Patrick Shepard reacted,
He doesn’t understand what he’s discussing. It’s not about being at a specific location; it’s about having a platform where one can showcase their skills. In their home country, South African players have such platforms, so why worry about Europe? They prefer avoiding the racism prevalent elsewhere. Other nationalities also feel frustrated due to how they’re treated abroad, leading them to act aggressively or engage in altercations during games. Got it?
Beth Mark said,
He ought to motivate the Kenyan players at his current workplace; indeed, moving to Europe could be advantageous, but our focus is on developing Africa so that we can restore greatness to this continent.
Luvuyo Yabo said,
He needs to concentrate more on his responsibilities as the Harambee Stars coach. With two games played and no victories, he has reason for concern. If those European clubs continue to undervalue our players and make absurd offers, these athletes won’t have any prospects.
Nathi Nkosinathi remarked,
"Ask him did he tried South African players to make trials while he was at Manchester United. anyway, SA lig is growing each and every season plus Mr. Motsepe is making sure football in Africa is growing."
McCarthy tackles Patrick Matasi’s claims of match-fixing
Earlier, Diwida >.co.ke covered McCarthy’s remarks about the suspected participation of Patrick Matasi in match-fixing.
Regarding the match-fixing scandal in Kenya, McCarthy emphasized that these acts sully the sport and must not be accepted within football.
