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Why McCarthy should be the next Bafana Bafana head coach

After the unceremonious dumping of Molefi Ntseki for his failure to guide Bafana Bafana to the Afcon in Cameroon next year, Safa are on the hunt for a new head coach. 
 
The new man will have to hit the ground running though - Bafana's first World Cup 2022 qualifier is against Zimbabwe, the fixture currently penciled in for June 5-8, a little less than two months from now.
With time of the essence, it surely would not make sense to bring a foreigner with no experience of having worked with South African football before. And if one looks local, surely there is no better option than Benni McCarthy. Goal gives you five reasons why:

No time to lose

The charismatic, legendary (he even had a song made after him), McCarthy is Bafana Bafana's all time-leading marksman, a man who is widely liked, admired, appreciated by more or less all South African football fans.
For a coach he is still young - and full of energy - and looking to prove himself. The Capetonian has always been deeply patriotic and would give the Bafana job his all.

He's no 'yes man' (perhaps one reason why Safa have not moved for him yet) and would want to do things his own way, as he should. In short, Benni would be a breath of fresh air who has the potential to usher in a new and exciting era if given the correct support and allowed to grow into the job.

McCarthy spent a good chunk of his playing career overseas where he is respected and has good connections. This could come in handy when having to deal with the club-versus-county issues when it comes to national team call-ups for Bafana players abroad.

He's the best of both worlds in a way - a man steeped with European pedigree who has remained true to his roots who now also boasts considerable experience in the PSL.

1. Because he's Benni

In an interview this week, McCarthy admitted&nbsp;he’s <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-za/news/amazulu-coach-mccarthy-expresses-interest-in-vacant-bafana/z52yqbdbob7y1m4cw35vqp88y" target="_blank">tempted</a> at the thought of leading his country:
"I would really think hard about it because nothing would make me prouder than to manage my country and qualify us to a World Cup tournament. That would be one of the highlights of your managing career even though it is such a short space of time but it is something that I am thinking about and would consider if the opportunity comes."

2. He wants the job

No-one really comes close when it comes to McCarthy’s achievements and the trophies and accolades he has won in a career that has spanned Seven Stars, Ajax, Celta Vigo, Porto, Blackburn Rovers, West Ham United and Orlando Pirates.
The achievement which obviously stands out on top is the Uefa Champions League win with Porto in which McCarthy played a crucial role. He’s also won league championships in the Netherlands, Portugal and South Africa as well as seven major cup competitions.

In 2007, Benni was the second top scorer in the Premier League with 18 league goals, as well as 24 in all competitions. Solid credentials indeed.

3. A winner

McCarthy worked under Jose Mourinho at Porto and maintains a strong relationship today with the now Tottenham manager. He’s also played under coaches such as Dutch trio Ruud Krol, Co Adriaanse and Louis Van Gaal, Danish coach Morten Olsen, and Mark Hughes, whom he will have learnt a lot from.

4. Worked with some of the best

As a player he won the treble with Orlando Pirates. And while Benni's managerial career may be short, but he's already enjoyed a decent measure of success.
After a brief taste of European club management in Belgium, McCarthy did well at Cape Town City to consistently have them in the top five and to win the MTN8 competition. He’s been going great guns at AmaZulu and seems to be learning, and willing to learn all the time.

And with very little preparation time for the new coach ahead of the World Cup qualifiers in two months time, McCarthy is perfectly placed to hit the ground running, having been in the thick of the action in the local football scene for the past decade.

5. Local success

Five reasons Benni McCarthy should be the next Bafana Bafana head coach | Goal.com South Africa

It&apos;s probably not what AmaZulu fans want to hear, but there are simply no better options than Benni McCarthy for the Bafana Bafana head coach job.

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