Benni On Declining Usuthu Job: You Can’t Coach Man United And Go To AmaZulu

Former AmaZulu coach Benni McCarthy has revealed that he turned down an offer to return to the club, despite a successful stint that saw him lead the team to a historic second-place finish in the league.

McCarthy explained that while he enjoyed his time at AmaZulu and valued his relationship with the club’s management, he felt it was the right time to move on.

As McCarthy said that the ship has sailed, he looks at other opportunities and potentially in the Major Soccer League in America where he confirmed he has had three interviews. 

When the former Cape Town City coach landed in the country last month for punditry work on SuperSport TV for UEFA Champions League Phase matches, talks were awash that he might return to Usuthu.  

Usuthu had just fired Spanish coach Pablo Franco Martin, who lost all the opening three matches of the season.  

As McCarthy turned them down, Usuthu went to appoint Vusi Vilakazi and Arthur Zwane as co-coaches.   

“The chairman [president Sandile Zungu} sent me a message and I spoke to Manzini Zungu about the possibility of returning,” said McCarthy. 

The former Bafana Bafana striker was Usuthu coach between December 2020 until March 2022.  

He led Usuthu to the second-place finish in 2020/21 season, the club’s highest finish in the PSL era.  

At the end of that season, McCarthy was named the PSL Coach of The Season, as Usuthu collected more points than Mamelodi Sundowns, who won the league at the end, during the time he arrived and the time the season finished. 

“I have moved on and I just felt my time at AmaZulu was perfect. I loved it, I enjoyed it, and I enjoyed working with the president – Sandile Zungu. When Manzini Zungu was there, I loved working with these guys because they really made me feel like I was a head coach,” he continued.  

“There was no interference, they gave me full control of the team, I got to play the system I wanted to, and I could have dialogues if I needed something I expressed my desire to the president within his wish if he could give me it, he would give me. 

“So, it was a perfect relationship and that is how it should be. A chairman employs the coach, the coach has full control over the team and your job is to make that team a success that’s what you get when there is no interference when no one is in your ear constantly about who you must play, who you mustn’t play, phone calls left, right and center and I think you work in harmony and I was able to do what I did with AmaZulu because of that.” 

Having had that success, it turned out to be a poison chalice for McCarthy. McCarthy wanted more quality players to catch Sundowns and compete in the CAF Champions League as they had finished second in the league table, but he was never given the players he wanted. 

“But, when there is success, comes problems,” he explained. 

“The chairman, the club wanted to compete for the title, but if you don’t want to invest, you can’t compete. 

“You want to drive a Ferrairi, but you give me Uno Fiat or Corsa engine – what must I do?  

“Sundowns come with Aston Martins, and Lamborghinis and I must drive a Corsa! I must put in a Ferrari engine! it doesn’t work like that. 

“Give me some weapons also to fight. The club didn’t want to spend by bringing players that we needed because we were now embarking into CAF competition – the CAF Champions League, but you must go with the same team that finished second.”  

McCarthy said that the team that finished second in his first season was overstretched and those players were too tired.  

“Those players were exhausted and we reached the limit with that team,” he said. 

“So, we needed fresh blood in. When that wasn’t coming in, of course you are going to be have setbacks, you are going to have difficult time to do it. 

“The second time around compared to what you have the first time, that’s when the problems came. 

“The club felt that it became an issue. It was probably best for someone else who was able to then take the team further than I could. 

“I wished them all the luck in the world. I hope they can better what I did with the club and or at least maintain a level but the history is telling us a different story.”  

Usuthu have never reached the same height as that of McCarthy and in the past two seasons, they did not make it into the top eight.  

“When you have something good, hold on to that, give them what they need,” he continued. 

“It wasn’t impossible. It’s not that I wanted what Sundowns have. It was within reasons and what we can afford, but at least we would be competitive again. When you don’t get that, you think there is better someone out there, then good luck. 

“We shook hands, parted ways. But I still have respect as a coach, my president, but now when you realise that you made a big mistake then it is too late, that train has moved on. 

“After that, I went to Man United [as a strikers coach] and now you don’t want to come back to Usuthu. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the right project for me, it wasn’t where I wanted to be at that time. I politely declined.”