by Benjamin Nyirenda
Former AmaZulu FC coach Benni McCarthy declined the offer to return to AmaZulu as head coach, this after the was approached, following the firing of firing coach Pablo Franco.
Speaking to journalists at the Carling Black Label Cup media briefing in Johannesburg on Tuesday, McCarthy confirmed that Usuthu wanted him back upon his departure from Manchester United, where he was the club’s strikers’ coach.
“They contacted me. They asked me if I could be interested. Manzini (Zungu) was the one I spoke to, but I was not interested to go back. I think I did my work there and I did what I did but I was not ready to go back. I have moved on and I am looking at bigger challenges.
Maybe being at Manchester United has changed my mentality, think bigger and look at bigger opportunities, so yes as much as they wanted me to go back I was not ready to go back,” McCarthy said.
The former Porto FC striker further added that their difference in principles with the chairman Sandile Zungu mainly concerning the signing of players, was one of the reasons that led to his departure.
“They wanted us to fight for the league title and for us to do that we needed to sign players who could win us the league. You can’t drive a Ferrari with the engine of a fiat or Lamborghini with a Corsa engine while Sundowns are driving Aston Martin, and you want us to compete in CAF or league with that kind of material. No that was not possible and that’s why this train moved on to Manchester United, but there is respect as coach and chairman, I respectfully declined their offer to come back,” McCarthy concluded.
Meanwhile, McCarthy is back in the country as one of the ambassadors for the Carling Black Label Cup, ahead of the final match to be played between this year’s Carling Cup Champions, Magesi FC and the All-Stars team on December 21, at the Orlando Stadium.