Benni McCarthy would be perfect for Sundowns – Moore

by Graeme Jackson

Monday Oct 05, 2020. 08:48

Benni McCarthy would be the perfect man to fill the boots of Pitso Mosimane at Mamelodi Sundowns, according to renowned agent Rob Moore.

Mosimane has left the Brazilians after a hugely successful eight-year spell at the helm, which included the 2016 CAF Champions League title and a treble of domestic trophies in the recently completed 2019-20 campaign.

Exactly how Sundowns will fill the void left by ‘Jingles’ remains to be seen, but Moore believes McCarthy – who was manager of Cape Town City from 2017 to 2019 and won the MTN8 title in his tenure – has the personality and confidence to take over at Chloorkop.

“Benni is a good fit… Pitso has obviously enjoyed a fantastic, hugely successful time at Sundowns. Whoever is going to step into his boots is going to have to be a big personality, because very often what can happen is that, all the coaches since Sir Alex Ferguson, it has been a huge job for them and ultimately they haven’t succeeded, so Sundowns is going to demand a big personality who is capable of not being afraid to step into big shoes,” Moore told SoccerLaduma.

“And Benni is that. Benni is supremely self-confident, he is a guy that all players respect and on a small budget, like a small team like Cape Town City, irrespective of how it ended, you have to look at the fact that he took them fifth and a cup final, fourth and then he won the cup and then after nine games of the new season, he was sacked for winning three, drawing three, losing three.

“Yes, John Comitis can say that the not winning record stretched back to the second season, but he still finished fourth.

“So, there is no doubt that Benni in many ways overachieved at Cape Town City and probably became the victim of his own success. When you fire a guy after nine matches, it is ridiculous but it is also a compliment to Benni in a backhanded way.

“So big shoes need to be filled. Benni has got a big personality, the media respects him and like him, the players respect him and likes him and that is what Sundowns are going to need, a larger than life personality who believes enough in himself and his methods and his way of doing things that he can reshape the new Sundowns.”