Kenya national team mentor Benni McCarthy has revealed the little-known coach who influenced an important aspect of his coaching style.
McCarthy built a decorated playing career across Europe, turning out for clubs such as Ajax, Celta Vigo, FC Porto, Blackburn Rovers and West Ham United.
Along the way, he worked under some of football’s most celebrated managers like José Mourinho and Mark Hughes. His admiration for The Special One is well documented. In his memoir, Benni: From Gangland to Greatness, he dedicates an entire chapter to his former FC Porto coach, who also wrote the foreword.
But the former Bafana Bafana striker has revealed that another, far less celebrated figure had a bigger influence on how he relates with his players. Hints about McCarthy’s coaching qualities have surfaced over the years.
Former national teammate Siyabonga Nomvethe once praised his instincts as a young coach, saying his approach already stood out. “That’s why he got the opportunity to go to Manchester United,” Nomvethe said.
Players who worked under him during his early coaching years echo similar sentiments. Orlando Pirates winger Tshepang Moremi previously told FARPost that McCarthy possessed a rare ability to instil belief in young players.
Moremi made his professional debut under McCarthy at Usuthu and recalls how the former Bucs striker’s guidance helped players believe they belonged at the highest level. During McCarthy’s stint in charge, the Durban outfit managed an impressive second-place finish behind Mamelodi Sundowns.
WHO IS THE COACH WHO INSPIRED MCCARTHY’S COACHING STYLE?
“They [Porto] brought in José Couceiro,” McCarthy writes in his recently launched book.
“What a lovely man; I wish he had been in charge from the start of the season. He was a nicer, more polite version of Mourinho, with the same way of thinking. Part of my own coaching philosophy in terms of dealing with players is drawn from the short time that he was in charge of us. I’ve never had a coach who respected players so much, maybe too much at times, and that is why ultimately Porto did not give him the job on a permanent basis.”
At the time, Couceiro had suffered a setback early in his managerial career when FC Alverca were relegated in the 2003/04 season. At Porto, he only spent six months before stints with Os Belenenses and the Portugal national under-21 team in 2006.
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