WeeklySA_AdminWAVES: The South African football icon’s role in transforming Kenya’s national squad has endeared him to the hearts of the East African nation….
By Jo-Mangaliso Mdhlela
The popular scripture reading states as follows: “The only place people don’t honour a prophet is in his home town…”
Benni McCarthy, head coach of the Harambee Stars, the Kenyan national football team, is big news in Kenya, creating waves and at the same time making a name for himself – writing a significant chapter in his coaching career.
McCarthy previously worked as head coach of Cape Town City and AmaZulu, and later coached Manchester United, an English Premier League affiliates.
At Manchester United, McCarthy coaching task was confined to ship-shaping strikers to be lethal when approaching opposition’s goal posts.
Early this year, McCarthy was recruited by the East Coast African country, Kenya, to lead the squad to greener pastures, as the Black book, would remind us. Recently, following Kenya’s 1-0 victory over Morocco, under the guidance of McCarthy, in the African Nations Championship (CHAN), his name has been trending in local social media, lionised as a foremost coach the country has had in many years.
A social media post in Kenya, singing praises of McCarthy after beating Morocco 1-0, commented: “Coach Benni McCarthy, if no one has said it, let me be the first…I wish you a long stay with the Kenyan National team; you are definitely among the best coaches/managers to have handled the Kenyan team in at least 50 years.
“I know the coaches since the late 1970s. Well done and may you go far with this Kenyan team and the youth development programmes. Congrats.”
Another comment: “Thanks [very]much I love South Africa coach Benni. He is doing great a job here. I’m telling you. Big up South Africa.”
In his playing days, McCarthy was deadly as a striker, and an overall great player who, with distinction, donned Bafana Bafana jersey, also spotted by several overseas top teams, such as Portugal’s Football Club Porto and Black Rovers, an English outfit, and formerly affiliates of the Premier league, among others.
Now he is turning out to be a well-respected and highly thought of coach armed with international coaching certification.
He is South Africa’s all-time leading goal scorer and a Uefa Champions League winner with Porto in 2003-04.
When he was appointed to take up a position as head coaching at Harambee Stars, the Kenyan football association said this of his capabilities: “McCarthy brings a wealth of experience to the role. His appointment follows the resignation of Engin Firat in December 2024, with the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) identifying McCarthy as the ideal candidate to revitalise the team after years of underwhelming performances.”
We should be cognisant that good coaches, wherever they may be located in the world, are sought-after, and by the nature of economic value attached to them, they do not come cheap.
Manchester United, without any hesitation, went to the ends of the Earth to seek the gold, an asset, they thought McCarthy to be.
But McCarthy is a South African, the son of the soil whom this country must value, see him for what he is – a great South African, a great footballer of great stature who, without doubt, deserves rewarding for his immense contribution to the South African football.
Is it not true that the country as it creates its own timber it should also reward it?
McCarthy is such timber the country produced. It therefore stands to reason that before casting its eye elsewhere in the world when it seeks a coach, the country should look at its own timber first. Logically, that is how the wheel ought to turn.
Put differently, if there are two brilliant candidates for a position of national coach, one from Brazil, and the other from South Africa, the question is: in whose favour should the choice for the successful candidate be tilted?
If the Brazilian were to get the position, the world would be sent into frenzy of disbelief because the decision would be illogical.
This will be because, rational people tend to understand that it would augur well to appoint a local person for all rational reasons.
Loyalty, when it is fairly rewarded, is justifiable. McCarthy has served his country well, putting it on the map, with loyalty and fortitude as Bafana Bafana great striker.
If the points are well argued, McCarthy, only 48-year-old, should become the country’s investment. In time to come, determined by necessity, one must hope that he might one day be appointed as a trusted local timber to advance the country’s national football fortunes.
We owe it for reasons of justice to honour our prophets.
