Benni McCarthy AmaZulu 2020Backpagepix

Benni McCarthy would love to coach Zamalek in Cairo derby against Mosimane's Al Ahly

AmaZulu head coach and former Bafana Bafana striker Benni McCarthy has indicated a desire to one day coach Egyptian giants Zamalek, against their biggest rivals, Al Ahly.

Prior to AmaZulu, McCarthy's first head coaching job was with home-town club Cape Town City, where he spent two seasons and helped them win the MTN8 competition.

The former Uefa Champions League winner - he won the competition in 2004 with Porto under Jose Mourinho - was strongly linked with the Bafana Bafana job, which was recently vacant until the appointment of Hugo Broos two months ago.

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While many believe that the 43-year-old will still get his chance to manage the national team, he has revealed another ambition - to spread his coaching wings on the continent.

“If I ever get the chance of coaching in Egypt, especially a big team like Zamalek that have fantastic players and I think they are as equally good as Al Ahly," McCarthy told Zamalek legend Ahmed Hossan Mido in a TV show, as quoted by Kingfut.

"So if you coach Zamalek you should be able to contest with Al Ahly,” he added.

“Hopefully, Mido has the power to make me the coach of Zamalek one day because I would love to have that kind of duels, to coach a very strong team against Pitso Mosimane’s Al Ahly,” McCarthy said in reference to the former Sundowns coach.

Having won the Champions League last year with Al Ahly, Mosimane is after a second successive title and third overall after winning it with Downs in 2016.

In recent years, South African and Egyptian teams have become increasingly well-acquainted, having met up in continental competition on a frequent basis.

This has increased the possibility of player transfers between the two countries, and as Mosimane has shown, it's given South African-born coaches a new stage to test themselves upon as well as a springboard to further develop their skills.

Five-time Champions League winners Zamalek are currently top of the log in Egypt – with 58 points they are 17 points clear of Al Ahly in third spot, although the Red Devils have played seven less matches.

What should Percy Tau do next?

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What should Percy Tau do next?

  • 24%Stick with Al Ahly
  • 13%Move back to the PSL
  • 47%Head back to European football
  • 16%Reunite with Pitso in Saudi Arabia
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