Let the good times roll: why McCarthy enjoys working with ex-Bafana colleagues Nomvethe and Josephs

AmaZulu coach Benni McCarthy says former Bafana Bafana teammates Siyabonga Nomvethe and Moeneeb Josephs have made his job at the Durban side much easier than he could have ever hoped for.

Nomvethe and Josephs are part of the AmaZulu technical team. The presence of Vasili Manousakis‚ who was also McCarthy’s assistant at former club Cape Town City‚ completes a strong think tank that has masterminded a four-game winning run in all competitions in recent weeks.

“Our president (Sandile Zungu) has an open mind and wants success‚ but he knows he must give me all the support I need‚” said McCarthy.

“He knows for me to deliver the success‚ he needs to bring in the new people I’m most comfortable to work with.

“When that happens‚ everyone is going to be on the same page. There’s no jealousy‚ no double back-stabbing. There’s a lot of trust‚ and there’s total belief in one another’s ability.

“I was able to bring in the assistant coach of my choice (Manousakis)‚ the goalkeeper coach (Josephs)‚ my second assistant coach (Nomvethe) and my performance analyst (Joshua Smith).

“When you have that support‚ you’ve got your family working with you on the coaching staff.”

McCarthy said the strong support has enabled him to fully concentrate on his job as  head coach.

“That kind of support can only bring success‚ good harmony‚ good energy‚" he said.

“There’s no bitterness‚ nobody is jealous of anyone. That’s the difference of working at AmaZulu than where I was [at City] previously.

“Here everyone gets success when the team does well‚ and when the team lose we lose together. There are no people wanting the limelight [more] than the others.

“We’re very humble‚ we’re grounded and we work towards something that has never been achieved at the football club.

“We know what it takes towards getting that‚ so we can’t be jealous of one another. We have to encourage‚ we have to help each other to push forward. That’s the difference for me.”

McCarthy said he was also thankful his current employers appreciate his experience and the success he enjoyed in Europe and at home with Orlando Pirates.

“I’m in a place where I am appreciated.

"I’m entrusted with making this football club something special. They are allowing me to dictate the range because there’s nobody in this country who’s been in a better position to where I’ve been as a footballer on the field‚” he said.

“I’ve seen places that not many footballers have seen‚ and I’ve worked with people not many footballers have worked with.

“The owners trust me to turn this team into something I had when I was at Ajax Amsterdam‚ something I had when I was at FC Porto.

“They’ve entrusted me to bring what I had. They’ve given me full support‚ no interference‚ just me taking charge of the football team and making this team into a unit.

“That’s why you also see a football coach mingling with staff members. It’s unheard of in SA where you get the job and then do whatever is there. That’s the mindset and that’s the mentality.”