Benni McCarthy

Benedict Saul "Benni" McCarthy (born 12 November 1977) is a South African coach and former footballer who is a first-team coach at Manchester United. He previously worked as head coach of South African Premier Division team AmaZulu.[3][4]

Benni McCarthy
McCarthy warming up for West Ham United in 2010
Personal information
Full name Benedict Saul McCarthy[1]
Date of birth (1977-11-12) 12 November 1977
Place of birth Cape Town, South Africa
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[2]
Position(s) Forward
Club information
Current team
 Manchester United (first-team coach)
Youth career
Young Pirates
Crusaders
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995–1997 Seven Stars 49 (39)
1996–1997 → Cape Town Spurs (loan) 7 (3)
1997–1999 Ajax 36 (20)
1999–2002 Celta Vigo 66 (10)
2002–2006 Porto 85 (46)
2006–2010 Blackburn Rovers 109 (37)
2010–2011 West Ham United 11 (0)
2011–2013 Orlando Pirates 24 (10)
Total 387 (161)
National team
– South Africa U23 13
1997–2012 South Africa 79 (31)
Teams managed
2015–2016 Sint-Truiden (assistant)
2017–2019 Cape Town City
2020–2022 Amazulu
2022– Manchester United (first team coach)
Honours
Men's football
Representing  South Africa
Africa Cup of Nations
Runner-up1998 Burkina Faso
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

A former forward, McCarthy is the South Africa national team's all-time top scorer with 31 goals.[5] He is also the only South African to have won the UEFA Champions League, doing so with Porto in 2003–04.

Early life

McCarthy was born in Cape Town and grew up in Hanover Park in the Cape Flats,[6] an area notorious for its high unemployment rate and gang violence. He is the son of Dudley and Dora McCarthy and has two brothers and a sister.[7] His older brother is Jerome McCarthy, a former professional footballer who played for Kaizer Chiefs and Manning Rangers, among other clubs, while his younger brother Mark played football at Franklin Pierce University in the United States.[7]

McCarthy began playing at a local side called Young Pirates, which was managed by his uncles. He then joined the youth structures of a local amateur club called Crusaders. At age 17, he was signed by first division club Seven Stars.[8]

Club career

Seven Stars

Playing for Seven Stars, the 18-year-old McCarthy scored 1 goal in 29 matches in the 1995–96 season, followed by another 12 goals in 20 matches, which earned him a transfer to Cape Town Spurs, which two years later merged with Seven Stars to form Dutch club Ajax's feeder team, Ajax Cape Town.

Ajax

In 1997, after an impressive showing at the African Youth Championship and FIFA World Youth Championship in Malaysia, he joined Ajax in the Eredivisie, where he scored nine goals and was crowned champion in his first season. After a relatively successful 1998–99 season, he was sold to Spanish side Celta de Vigo for a transfer fee reported to be over €6 million, at the time the most expensive transfer for a South African player.

Celta Vigo

Although regarded as one of the best African players at the time, McCarthy never established himself as a regular choice for Celta's manager, Víctor Fernández. After two poor seasons at the Galician club, he was loaned to struggling Porto in the 2001–02 season, where he soon rediscovered the form that took him to Europe.

At Porto, McCarthy played under the then newly appointed coach José Mourinho for an underperforming team that since winning the European Cup in 1987 had never been quite good enough to challenge for the top honours in Europe. However, that would soon change.

After representing Bafana Bafana in the 2002 African Nations Cup, where his national side was eliminated in the quarter-finals, McCarthy returned to Porto, where he became the main force behind the team's recovery. He helped them to third place in the Primeira Liga and automatic qualification for the UEFA Cup by scoring an impressive 12 goals in 11 matches, but Porto's finances did not allow them to keep the player, despite the desire of both sides to continue.

In 2002–03, McCarthy therefore returned to Celta, where he spent much of his time on the substitutes' bench as a squad player as Porto captured the Taça de Portugal, the Portuguese League and the UEFA Cup. When Porto sold striker Hélder Postiga to Tottenham Hotspur ahead of the 2003–04 season, Porto finally acquired McCarthy for a sum of €7.856 million,[9] (later re-sold part of the rights to GestiFute and First Portuguese Football Players Fund.)

Porto

For the 2003–04 Primeira Liga season, he earned the Golden Boot award (with 20 goals in 23 matches) on the season's final matchday with a hat-trick, and was instrumental in Porto's run in the 2003–04 UEFA Champions League, which they won. He scored two goals against Manchester United to defeat them in the second round.

Blackburn Rovers

On 25 July 2006, McCarthy flew out to England to undergo a medical and probable contract signing to join Blackburn Rovers.[10] Three days later, he signed a four-year contract with Blackburn for a £2.5 million transfer fee. The move meant that Rovers regularly fielded a side that contained two South African Internationals, the other being Aaron Mokoena who joined the club the year previous.

After a disappointing performance in the side's 3–0 defeat to Portsmouth, McCarthy found the net on his debut at Ewood Park against Everton on 23 August 2006. McCarthy further endeared himself to Rovers fans, scoring a goal on his European debut for the club in a 2–2 against Red Bull Salzburg in the UEFA Cup, and scoring another in the return leg. He finished second top scorer in the Premier League in 2006–07 with 18 league goals, as well as 24 in all competitions.

The following season got off to a poor start for McCarthy when he was stretchered off in the Premier League opening day win against Middlesbrough. McCarthy was out of action for a few weeks and found first team opportunities limited, largely because the form of new striking arrival Roque Santa Cruz. Despite being limited to largely substitute appearances, McCarthy did find the net 11 times in all competitions.

In the 2008–09 season, McCarthy appeared to be out of favour with new manager Paul Ince, as the club's strike force was strengthened with the arrivals of Carlos Villanueva and Robbie Fowler to join the already established Roque Santa Cruz, Jason Roberts and Matt Derbyshire. However, McCarthy answered these critics by scoring his first goal of the campaign – a 94th-minute equaliser in a Premier League match against Middlesbrough.

In all competitions for Blackburn, McCarthy scored 52 goals in 140 matches.

West Ham United

McCarthy completed a move to West Ham United for an undisclosed fee on transfer deadline day, 1 February 2010. He signed a two and a half-year contract that was due to run until the summer of 2012. He made his Premier League debut for West Ham against Burnley at Turf Moor in a 2–1 defeat on 6 February 2010, where he sustained an injury which would keep him out for six weeks.[11] In February 2011, having played just 326 minutes of football, making only three starts and failing to score any goals for West Ham, McCarthy was omitted from West Ham's 25-man squad for the remainder of the 2010–11 season. He was also offered a £1 million pay-off in exchange for terminating his contract prematurely.[12][13] In April 2011, McCarthy left West Ham by mutual agreement after the parties agreed to terminate his contract. [14] He made only two Premier League starts and fourteen appearances in all competitions scoring no goals.[15]

Orlando Pirates

After leaving West Ham, McCarthy trained with former club Ajax Cape Town during the ABSA Premier League off-season. On 2 August, Orlando Pirates confirmed the signing of McCarthy on a two-year deal, ending his 14-year spell in Europe. On signing, McCarthy said, "I'm thrilled and delighted and hope I can show my appreciation by coming in and playing good football and hope to score as many goals as possible to put the team where they belong." [16] McCarthy began the season by scoring on debut and vowed to score more goals.

McCarthy scored two goals in the final half-hour to help the Pirates defeat the Golden Arrows 4–2 on 19 May 2012 to retain their Premier League title.[17] He finished his successful season with ten league goals, ending the campaign as the fourth leading goal-scorer in the Premier League, helping the club secure their second successive treble. Having already won a league championship with Ajax in the Netherlands as well with Porto both domestically and in Europe, McCarthy would make football history by winning the league championship with Orlando Pirates in South Africa. This meant McCarthy was the first South African footballer to win three league titles with three different football clubs on two different continents.[18]

McCarthy, who is affectionately known as "Big Brother" by the Orlando Pirates faithful, was handed a red card for dissent in the MTN 8 secondleg semi-final played on 25 August 2012 after he charged Franklin Cale after a reckless challenge on Daine Klate. This incident lead to protesting fans whom, in their view, Cale was equally guilty in the incident and should have also been shown red. McCarthy announced his retirement from professional football on 6 June 2013, aged 35.[19]

Whitehill Welfare

On 13 July 2014, McCarthy made a guest appearance for Scottish Lowland league club Whitehill Welfare in a pre-season friendly against a Hamilton Academical XI, scoring in the 14th minute and providing an assist for Whitehill Welfare player Kerr Dodds to score in the 20th minute.[20][21] McCarthy has a connection with the club through one of the Whitehill players, John Hall.[22]

International career

McCarthy made his full international debut for South Africa in a friendly against the Netherlands on 4 June 1997.

Along with veteran Egyptian striker Hossam Hassan, McCarthy was the joint top scorer in the 1998 African Cup of Nations in Burkina Faso with seven goals, including four in 13 minutes against Namibia. In addition, he was named Player of the Tournament.

The 1998 FIFA World Cup in France was the first time South Africa's national football team had reached the later stages of the competition, and McCarthy was one of their key players. After a 3–0 defeat against eventual champions France, South Africa played their second match against Denmark. Trailing since the 13th minute, McCarthy tied the game at 1–1 in the 52nd minute and gave South Africa a chance for qualification after a 1–1 draw. However, the third match also ended in a draw, against Saudi Arabia, which left the South Africans in third place and eliminated from the competition.

The 2002 World Cup saw history repeating for the South Africans. After a 2–2 draw against Paraguay and a 1–0 victory over Slovenia, McCarthy's 30th-minute equaliser in the last match against Spain was not enough, as South Africa eventually lost 3–2 and finished with another third place in the group stage.

There was often conflict over McCarthy's lack of participation in national team matches (whose interests often collide with his club's) and he actually retired from international matches after the 2002 World Cup. However, he returned to the national team in 2004 and eventually set the record for most international goals for South Africa; McCarthy's strike in the second half of a 3–0 win against Paraguay in a 2008 friendly eclipsed the previous record of 29 goals held by Shaun Bartlett.

Prior to the 2010 World Cup, held in South Africa, McCarthy announced his support for the Gun-Free World Cup campaign being run by International Action Network on Small Arms. He said, "This World Cup will be the biggest in football history and the fact that it is taking place in South Africa is a chance for us to show the world everything that is good about our country. It's great that guns will be banned from stadiums – it's going to be a fantastic party, and guns have no place in that."[23] After struggling with his fitness and facing criticism in his nation for being overweight, McCarthy was omitted from the final South African 23-man squad for the 2010 World Cup, which was announced on 1 June 2010.[24]

Managerial and coaching career

Hibernian

Living in Edinburgh since 2013, McCarthy confirmed in April 2015, that he had joined the coaching staff of Alan Stubbs at Scottish club Hibernian.[25] Stubbs had invited McCarthy so he could just learn the coaching side of things. McCarthy knew Stubbs back from their playing days when McCarthy was at Blackburn Rovers and Stubbs was at Everton. McCarthy said, that he was going to help out with the U20s, and assisting with the first team.

Sint-Truiden

In February 2015, he did a short internship at Sint-Truidense VV club under Yannick Ferrera. On 8 September 2015, McCarthy was appointed assistant manager to manager Chris O'Loughlin, who replaced Yannick Ferrera.[26] Working his way through the different tiers of the UEFA Coaching Badges system, McCarthy met O'Loughlin.

On 20 April 2016, McCarthy stopped working with Sint-Truiden for personal reasons, after it was previously announced that his contract was not renewed.[27]

Cape Town City

On 13 June 2017, McCarthy was unveiled as the new Cape Town City head coach,[28] replacing Eric Tinkler, who moved to manage SuperSport United. McCarthy would complete his UEFA Pro License while coaching City, and would win his first silverware as a coach in 2018 when he guided City to the MTN 8 cup.[29] On 4 November 2019, McCarthy was dismissed as head coach of Cape Town City after just two wins in 18 games .

AmaZulu

On 14 December 2020, McCarthy was unveiled as the new AmaZulu F.C. head coach, replacing Ayanda Dlamini, who stepped down from the position on 7 December 2020. He took the club to a second-place finish in the DStv Premiership, a record high for AmaZulu in the modern era of the game in South Africa. As a result, AmaZulu qualified for the preliminary rounds of the 2021–22 CAF Champions League. McCarthy led AmaZulu to the group stages of the 2021–22 CAF Champions League in their debut season before exiting the competition. McCarthy and AmaZulu parted company on 25 March 2022.[30]

Manchester United

On 30 July 2022, McCarthy was appointed as a first-team coach at Manchester United.[31]

Personal life

In 2004, McCarthy married Maria Santos from Spain. They have three daughters together: Minna, Mya and Allegra. In 2007, they separated.[32] In May 2014, McCarthy married Scottish model Stacey Munro. Together, they have one daughter, Lima Rose[33] and one son, Lio Romero, born in 2019.[34]

Career statistics

Club
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[35]
Club Season League National cup[lower-alpha 1] Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Ajax 1997–98 Eredivisie 179105[lower-alpha 2]1–2310
1998–99 Eredivisie 1911105[lower-alpha 3]0002511
Total 362020101004821
Celta Vigo 1999–2000 La Liga 3184210[lower-alpha 2]6–4516
2000–01 La Liga 190206[lower-alpha 2]0–270
2001–02 La Liga 20003[lower-alpha 2]1–51
2002–03 La Liga 142005[lower-alpha 2]3–195
Total 6610622410–9622
Porto (loan) 2001–02 Primeira Liga 111211––1213
Porto 2003–04 Primeira Liga 29205111[lower-alpha 3]42[lower-alpha 4]04725
2004–05 Primeira Liga 2311108[lower-alpha 3]33[lower-alpha 5]03514
2005–06 Primeira Liga 233434[lower-alpha 3]1–317
Total 86461152385012458
Blackburn Rovers 2006–07 Premier League 3618538[lower-alpha 2]31[lower-alpha 6]05024
2007–08 Premier League 318104[lower-alpha 2]22[lower-alpha 6]13811
2008–09 Premier League 281053–003313
2009–10 Premier League 14100–5[lower-alpha 6]3194
Total 109371161258414052
West Ham United 2009–10 Premier League 5000–0050
2010–11 Premier League 6000–3[lower-alpha 6]090
Total 11000–30140
Career total 30811330136924164422153
  1. Includes KNVB Cup, Copa del Rey, Taça de Portugal, FA Cup
  2. Appearances in UEFA Cup
  3. Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  4. One appearance in Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira, one appearance in UEFA Super Cup
  5. One appearance in Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira, one appearance in UEFA Super Cup, one appearance in Intercontinental Cup
  6. Appearance(s) in Football League Cup

International
Scores and results list South Africa's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each McCarthy goal.
List of international goals scored by Benni McCarthy[36]
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
116 February 1998Stade Municipal, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso Namibia1–04–01998 African Cup of Nations
22–0
33–0
44–0
522 February 1998Stade Municipal, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso Morocco1–02–11998 African Cup of Nations
625 February 1998Stade du 4 Août, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso DR Congo1–12–11998 African Cup of Nations
72–1
86 June 1998Sportanlage Baiersbronn, Baiersbronn, Germany Iceland1–01–1Friendly
918 June 1998Stade de Toulouse, Toulouse, France Denmark1–11–11998 FIFA World Cup
1016 December 1998FNB Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa Egypt1–12–1Friendly
112–1
1227 February 1999Odi Stadium, Mabopane, South Africa Gabon4–14–12000 African Cup of Nations qualification
135 June 1999Kings Park Stadium, Durban, South Africa Mauritius2–02–02000 African Cup of Nations qualification
147 June 2000Cotton Bowl, Dallas, United States Mexico1–22–4Friendly
1511 June 2000Giants Stadium, New York City, United States Republic of Ireland1–01–2Friendly
1624 March 2001Telkom Park Stadium, Port Elizabeth, South Africa Mauritius1–03–02002 African Cup of Nations qualification
175 May 2001FNB Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa Zimbabwe2–02–12002 FIFA World Cup qualification
1815 January 2002Mmabatho Stadium, Mafikeng, South Africa Angola1–01–0Friendly
1923 May 2002Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong Turkey1–02–0Friendly
202–0
2112 June 2002Daejeon World Cup Stadium, Daejeon, South Korea Spain1–12–32002 FIFA World Cup
2222 May 2003Kings Park Stadium, Durban, South Africa England1–11–2Friendly
2315 November 2003Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt Egypt1–01–2Friendly
2418 August 2004Tunis, Tunisia Tunisia1–02–0Friendly
2510 October 2004National Stadium, Kampala, Uganda Uganda1–01–02006 FIFA World Cup qualification
269 February 2005Kings Park Stadium, Durban, South Africa Australia1–01–1Friendly
274 June 2005Estádio da Várzea, Praia, Cape Verde Cape Verde1–02–12006 FIFA World Cup qualification
287 September 2005Weserstadion, Bremen, Germany Germany2–32–4Friendly
2914 January 2006Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt Egypt2–12–1Friendly
308 September 2007Newlands Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa Zambia1–31–32008 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
3126 March 2008Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium, Pretoria, South Africa Paraguay2–03–0Friendly
3215 October 2008Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein, South Africa Ghana1–12–1Friendly

Managerial

As of 18 September 2021

Team From To Record
GWDLWin %
Cape Town City 13 June 2017 3 November 2019 89 37 21 31 041.57
AmaZulu 14 December 2020 25 March 2022 32 16 8 8 050.00
Total 121 53 29 39 043.80

Honours

Player

Ajax

  • Eredivisie: 1997–98
  • KNVB Cup: 1997–98, 1998–99

Celta

  • UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2000

Porto

Orlando Pirates

  • Premier League: 2011–12
  • MTN 8: 2011
  • Telkom Knockout: 2011

South Africa

Individual

  • African Cup of Nations Best Player: 1998
  • African Cup of Nations Top Scorer: 1998
  • African Cup of Nations Team of the Tournament: 1998
  • African Goal of the Year: 2004
  • Ajax Talent of the Year (Marco van Basten Award): 1997–98
  • SJPF Player of the Month: January 2004, May 2004, October 2004
  • Primeira Liga Top Scorer: 2003–04
  • Taça de Portugal Top Scorer: 2005–06

Manager

Cape Town City

In 1998, McCarthy collaborated with South African kwaito music group TKZee in "Shibobo". The song released in the run-up to the 1998 World Cup in France samples greatly on "The Final Countdown" by Europe and features McCarthy rapping part of the lyrics. He also appears in the football-themed music video for the song. Sales of the single topped the 100,000 mark in just over a month in South Africa, making "Shibobo" the fastest and biggest selling CD single by TKZee or other South African recording artists. The song was also a hit in other African music charts. The song enjoyed a comeback in a re-release in 2010–11.

Discography

Singles
  • 1998: "Shibobo" by TKZee featuring Benni McCarthy[37]

References
  1. "List of Players under Written Contract Registered Between 01/02/2010 and 28/02/2010" (PDF). The Football Association. p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 October 2012.
  2. "Premier League Player Profile". Premier League. Archived from the original on 1 October 2012. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
  3. "Confirmed: Benni Returns To The Dugout". Soccer Laduma. 14 December 2020.
  4. Molobi, Timothy. "Benni in the Bafana Zone". Citypress. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
  5. "Benni McCarthy urges South Africa strikers to break his record". www.goal.com. 11 November 2011. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
  6. Mitten, Andy Vianney (22 February 2004). "Benni's shop window of opportunity". The Independent. London. Retrieved 18 April 2009.
  7. "Benni McCarthy's father dies". sport24.co.za. 13 November 2008. Archived from the original on 11 September 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2009.
  8. Gaffney, Brian (5 September 2007). "How Crusaders groomed Benni for stardom". The People's Post. Archived from the original on 23 March 2008. Retrieved 18 April 2009.
  9. "Contratação do jogador Benny McCarthy" (PDF). FC Porto (in Portuguese). 15 July 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 December 2010. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
  10. "Sky Sports | Football News | Premier League | Blackburn Rovers". Home.skysports.com. 25 April 2010. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
  11. "McCarthy a happy Hammer". whufc.com. 1 February 2010. Archived from the original on 4 February 2010. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
  12. "Benni McCarthy misses West Ham squad cut | Football". Evening Standard. London. Archived from the original on 10 March 2011. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
  13. Burt, Jason (28 January 2011). "West Ham's unwanted striker Benni McCarthy rejects Ł1m pay-off as club try to clear the decks". London: Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
  14. "Benni departs". whufc.com. 12 April 2010. Archived from the original on 30 April 2011. Retrieved 12 April 2011.
  15. "Striker Benni McCarthy exits West Ham by mutual consent". whufc.com. 13 April 2011. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
  16. "South Africa's Benni McCarthy joins Orlando Pirates". BBC Sport. 2 August 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2011.
  17. "Pirates deny Swallows glory as champions retain the title". BBC Sport. 19 May 2012. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  18. "McCarthy seals title for Pirates". Soccernet.
  19. "Benni McCarthy retires from football at the age of 35". BBC Sport. 6 June 2013. Retrieved 7 June 2013.
  20. "2-goal Doddsy steals Benni's show". Whitehill Welfare official club site. 14 July 2014. Archived from the original on 15 July 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  21. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 15 July 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  22. "African star Benni McCarthy turns up at Whitehill Welfare". Midlothian Advertiser. 5 August 2013. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
  23. "SA stars back gun free World Cup". Thecitizen.co.za. Retrieved 9 May 2010.
  24. "World Cup 2010: Benni McCarthy dropped by South Africa". BBC News. 1 June 2010. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  25. Benni Getting Coaching Experience At Hibs, soccerladuma.co.za, 10 April 2015
  26. Benni McCarthy is Sint-Truiden's new assistant coach, goal.com, 8 September 2015
  27. BENNI MCCARTHY STOPT ALS T2 Archived 14 May 2016 at the Wayback Machine, 20 April 2016
  28. "Benni McCarthy unveiled as the new Cape Town City head coach".
  29. Makhaya, Ernest (29 September 2018). "MTN8 final: Benni McCarthy and Cape Town City the deserved winners". Goal. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  30. Vardien, Tashreeq (25 March 2022). "Benni McCarthy, AmaZulu 'mutually' agree to terminate contract". News24.com. Retrieved 2 June 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  31. "Manchester United to add Benni McCarthy to Erik ten Hag's coaching staff". The Athletic. 30 July 2022.
  32. "TimesLIVE". www.timeslive.co.za.
  33. "Benni McCarthy marries Scottish model - City Press". Archived from the original on 3 November 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  34. "News24". www.news24.com.
  35. "B. McCarthy". Footballdatabase. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  36. "Benni McCarthy (Player)". national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  37. Music video of "iShibobo" with TKZee feat. Benni McCarthy ]
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