Bafana Bafana record goalscorer Benni McCarthy has been appointed a Manchester United first-team coach whose primary focus will be coaching attacking players.
He joins newly appointed Man United manager Erik ten Hag’s backroom staff. Accepting the job, the former AmaZulu and Cape Town City coach said he was a boyhood fan of the club.
In the 2003/04 UEFA Champions League knockout stages, the former South African international scored twice against the Reds.
The well-travelled McCarthy has previously spoken glaringly about the club. “I support Man United and always wanted to play for them,” he once said. “I loved players like Mark Hughes, Andy Cole and Ryan Giggs.”
His career, which started at Seven Stars in Cape Town, took him to the Netherlands [Ajax], Portugal [Porto], Spain [Celta Vigo] and England [Blackburn Rovers and West Ham United].
After hanging his boots, the 44-year-old coach has coached two topflight clubs in South Africa – City and AmaZulu in Durban.
He parted ways with AmaZulu towards the end of the 2021/22 season after guiding them to a record second place finish. They also went as far as the group stages of the CAF Champions League at their first attempt in the continental competition.
The 2020/21 South African Premier League’s Coach of the Season joins Mitchell van der Gaag, Steve McClaren, Eric Ramsay and Darren Fletcher, who form part of Ten Hag’s coaching team.
The club brought Christian Eriksen from Brentford, Lisandro Martinez from Ajax, and Tyrell Malacia from Feyenoord ahead of the new season. McCarthy will work with Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, Jadon Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo. The quartet forms part of the club’s attack as they are yet to bring in any new signings in that department.
United recently removed Mike Phelan from the first team. He was part of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s backroom staff and remained when the former United striker left the club.
United kick off the league with a home match against Brighton & Albion Hove on Sunday at Old Trafford.
RELATED STORY: Manchester United to add Benni McCarthy to Erik ten Hag’s coaching staff
