McCarthy compares City’s progress to that of Manchester equivalent Guardiola

Cape Town City are more of a 90-minute team now under rookie Premier Soccer League coach Benni McCarthy‚ and are beginning to have an identity and a recognisable pattern. 

City started out under former Blackburn Rovers striker McCarthy‚ buoyed by the confidence of a third-placed finish under Eric Tinkler in 2016-17‚ getting some opportunistic smash-and-grab winning results against the run of play‚ reaching the early-season MTN8 final.

Where they played in patches initially‚ now they manage a more complete performance over 90 minutes‚ with a solid defensive pattern‚ and quick counterattack moving the ball out on the ground.

This was evident in City’s 1-0 Nedbank Cup last-16 victory on Wednesday night against Orlando Pirates‚ the team McCarthy won a treble with returning to South Africa in 2011.

“It took Pep Guardiola how long to get Man City to play the way they are now?

"He was there a full season and I don’t think they played the football that they are now‚” McCarthy said‚ comparing his City’s progression so far to that of his Manchester equivalent.

“So yeah‚ of course‚ the players take time to adapt to what you really want‚ and how clear you are.

“And OK‚ initially we played‚ and there was a structure that I wanted us to play‚ but it wasn’t always as convincing and as nice as it is now.

“We played on adrenaline because everybody wanted to prove a point and to impress me.

“Now‚ as time goes by‚ every single day they get an idea that I’m not the running kind of coach. I’m not someone who we do 100 metre sprints and 400m sprints.

“Me‚ every single day it’s football – they hardly run.

“So they are eventually getting the drift now‚ and you’re starting to see the patterns and the way I want to play.

“It’s building from the back‚ and building the confidence‚ and playing through our positions.

"Having players of the quality of Teko Modise‚ Thabo Nodada and Roland Putsche in the midfield who are also not scared to take risks.

“And it’s working.

"So‚ yeah‚ it’s nice to see that finally‚ slowly but surely we’re getting there. And not just getting there but teams are having to look out because we play some nice football.

“And it’s no more just smash-and-grab‚ but it’s looking convincing.”

City meet Mozambican club Costa Do Sol next on Sunday at Athlone Stadium in the second leg of their Caf Confederation Cup first round tie.

The Citizens won the first leg 1-0.

* Marc Strydom is in Cape Town as a guest of Nedbank