Benni McCarthy, Manchester United, July 2022https://twitter.com/ManUtd

McCarthy gets high praise from Manchester United's Fernandes for his influence

Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes has revealed the positive influence South African coach Benni McCarthy is having on the team.

McCarthy was added to Erik ten Hag’s backroom staff last month to specialise in coaching attacking plays and positioning. Fernandes has explained how the former Cape Town City and AmaZulu coach has been fun on the training ground and dressing room.

“He is a really funny person, he’s always positive, he has good energy in the dressing room and training ground,” Fernandes said during an interview with SuperSport TV.

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“He was quality as a player and is quality as a manager because we do many drills from finishing, headers many stuff that he was really doing when he was playing and it can help us score some goals,” he added.

“Sometimes we joke, I tell him he was not ‘that good’ playing for FC Porto and he was dropping so many times and obviously our assistant coach Mitchell [van der Gaag] was playing in Portugal too and they know each other.”

“They always joke around about when they played so that positive vibe and good energy can be helpful for us during the season.”

Fernandes is particularly delighted to be working with the Bafana Bafana all-time leading scorer whom he watched at a young age during the striker’s four-year spell with Porto where scored 58 goals in 124 games while winning two league titles as well as the Uefa Champions League.

“It’s a pleasure for me because as a young player, I was seeing him in Portugal playing for Porto scoring many goals and was a joy to see him,” said the Portuguese playmaker.

He went on: “Having him now for many of my friends and family that support Porto it will be good for them that they can come to Manchester and see him, get a photo and everything.”

McCarthy’s appointment completed Ten Hag’s coaching staff that also has assistants Van der Gaag and Steve McClaren as well as Eric Ramsay and Darren Fletcher with Richard Hartis and Craig Mawson, the goalkeeping coaches.

His work on the training ground has not yielded a goal for United and he will be hoping that the Red Devils can begin firing soon, starting with Monday night’s Premier League clash against fierce rivals Liverpool at Old Trafford.

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