Former Manchester United first-team coach Benni McCarthy has opened up on his meeting with Mamelodi Sundowns’ sporting director, Flemming Berg.
He shed light on the Sundowns issue on the sidelines of the Carling Black Label media event in Sandton on Tuesday, where he served as an ambassador.
The all-time leading Bafana Bafana goal scorer has been the subject of speculation linking him with the head coaching job at Sundowns.
McCarthy confirmed the meeting with Berg, the former Head of Elite Football Development at the Danish Football Association. However, he clarified that the rumours surrounding a potential move to Sundowns were unfounded.
“They were saying Benni is coming to Kaizer Chiefs, it was just rumours. I’ve not spoken to Sundowns. There has been no dialogue between me and the team. That’s firstly out of the way, and I think they’ve got coaches there that are experienced,” he said.
McCarthy urged football fans to support Sundowns’ current coaching staff, led by Manqoba Mngqithi and avoid putting unnecessary pressure on them.
“So, I want them to work peacefully, and they are not just doing it for their football club. They are doing it for SA because we want to prove to the world that African football is on the up.”
HOW DID BENNI MCCARTHY AND FLEMMING BERG MEET
He believes the links with the Tshwane giants possibly came from the chance meeting between him and Berg in London.
“I was travelling to my coaching badges somewhere, so I had to go to Wales, so I went via London,” he explained. “We met at the airport; it was just a normal chat. It wasn’t about Sundowns having an opening; the conversation was nowhere near, or I didn’t get any feeling.”
He recalls Flemming telling him he remembered him from his time at FC Porto. McCarthy won the UEFA Champions League with the Portuguese giants in 2004. At the time, Berg was working for Chelsea as an international scout.
“He came to watch. We met a few times, but I was younger then and couldn’t remember. So, we were just talking in general about South African football, and that was it.”
“I can see why people put one and one together and come up with two. That could be the case, but it wasn’t like that. I think they seem to be happy with the coaches they [Sundowns] have, and they should be. They are on top of the league again for the seventh year in a row or longer.”
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