'Benni McCarthy is going nowhere‚' says Cape Town City boss John Comitis

18 June 2019 - 14:39 By Marc Strydom
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Benni McCarthy coach of Cape Town City and Chairman John Comitis during the MTN8 Semi Final 2nd Leg match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Cape Town City on the 02 September 2018 at Lucas Moripe Stadium.
Benni McCarthy coach of Cape Town City and Chairman John Comitis during the MTN8 Semi Final 2nd Leg match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Cape Town City on the 02 September 2018 at Lucas Moripe Stadium.
Image: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix

Benni McCarthy is set to return to duty as Cape Town City coach on Thursday‚ the club’s chairman John Comitis has said‚ squashing rumours and speculation the former Blackburn Rovers striker might still head for greener pastures.

McCarthy will begin training City on Friday for their preseason for his third campaign at the club‚ Comitis told TimesLIVE on Tuesday.

“Benni has a three-year contract – he’s going into the third year of the original contract he signed‚” Comitis said.

“Apart from that‚ I’m in communication with him pretty much every day about players we are signing‚ and who we are keeping and who we’re not keeping.

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"And pretty much preparing for his return on Thursday‚ so that he can start up on Friday with the team.

“I had a meeting today with the rest of the technical staff‚ who are preparing certain things under his guidance.

“So‚ you know‚ unless there is something coming from left field and I’m unaware of it‚ it would be surprising for me [if McCarthy had other plans]. So I have no idea what people are rumouring about.”

Comitis said that with preparations for the new season going full steam ahead at City‚ it would be notable out of character for McCarthy to have any other plans.

“Benni won’t behave like that‚” the chairman said.

McCarthy‚ Bafana Bafana’s all-time top scorer and the only South African to win the Uefa Champions League with FC Porto in 2004‚ has had a good start to his coaching career.

In his two seasons at City‚ McCarthy’s first stint as a head coach‚ he reached the MTN8 final and finished fifth in the Absa Premiership in 2017-18‚ and won the MTN8 and placed fourth in the league in 2018-19.

He was linked speculatively at one stage to Kaizer Chiefs‚ who finished ninth in 2018-19 and without a trophy for an unprecedented fourth season.

City have experience of losing a coach to a Gauteng team.

Eric Tinkler‚ who steered the Citizens to third place in their first season in the PSL after Comitis had bought the franchise of Mpumalanga Black Aces‚ was poached by SuperSport United in June 2017 leading to the appointment at City of McCarthy.

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