The worst-kept secret so far in South African football has been let out of the bag: Benni McCarthy has been unveiled as the new Cape Town City coach on a three-year deal.
The former Ajax Amsterdam Porto‚ Blackburn Rovers and West Ham striker has replaced Eric Tinkler‚ who joined SuperSport United last week.
With Tinkler having steered the side to a creditable third place in their maiden Premier Soccer League season alongside their Telkom Knockout Cup triumph and their MTN8 semi-final placing‚ McCarthy has big boots to fill.
The 39-year-old Capetonian is making a home-coming of sorts‚ with his playing career having started in the Mother City before globetrotting in what was a successful playing career that included 80 Bafana caps and the UEFA Champions League winners medal he earned with Porto in the 2003/04.
It remains to be seen whether John Comitis's gamble on McCarthy will pay off because the all-time leading Bafana Bafana goalscorer has never taken on a head coaching gig.
While he is a suitably qualified candidate with a UEFA A licence‚ the jury is out on whether he can transfer his on-field skills into something tangible from a management perspective.
- TMG Digital/TMG Sport
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