Bafana Bafana legend and former Manchester United strikers’ coach Benni McCarthy has dismissed rumours that he was in talks with Premier Soccer League defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns.
McCarthy is in the country as the ambassador of the Carling Black Label Cup. He addressed the media in Johannesburg on Tuesday.
Magesi FC, the Carling Knockout Cup winners, upset the odds by defeating Sundowns, and now they will face a Carling All-Star team, chosen by the fans.
The game takes place at Orlando Stadium on December 21.
McCarthy claimed he wanted to assure coach Manqoba Mngqithi and Steve Komphele that he never spoke to the club’s leadership after Rulani Mokwena’s dismissal in the off-season.
Don’t listen to rumours
“Honestly, I’ve not spoken to Sundowns; there’s been rumours; rumours were there when Chiefs had no coach as well,” McCarthy told the media.
“They were saying Benni is coming to Chiefs. Rumours are just rumours; don’t listen to rumours.
“I’ve not spoken to Sundowns — there’s been no dialogue between me and the team. I think they’ve got top coaches; let’s not put them under unnecessary pressure that could lead them to end up looking over their shoulder.
“Those coaches are people that I respect a lot, and I want them to work peacefully and do what they have to do.”
He continued: “They are not doing it just for their club but for South Africa; we want to show that SA football is on the up and that we have the best league and teams like Orlando Pirates, Sundowns and Chiefs have to maintain that level when they play on the African continent,” he added.
Tea with sporting director
“I don’t step on anyone’s toes. The rumours could have come from when I had tea with him [Sundowns sporting director Flemming Berg], but if you bump into someone at the airport, it was just a normal chat and not about Sundowns having an opening.
“The conversation was nowhere near that. I did not get a feeling that he wanted me; he was telling me about my time when I worked at Porto.
“We met a few times when I was younger; we were just talking in general about SA football, and that was it.
“Based on that, I can see why people would put one and one together and come up with two that could be the case.
“The club seems to be pleased with the coaches they have.”
