“I never thought Benni would take coaching this seriously to be honest. He really came out and took it to another level.”
PITSO Mosimane has called on Premier Soccer League clubs to be a little more patient with local coaches.
Expressing his dejection at the recent firing of Benni McCarthy by Cape Town City, the Mamelodi Sundowns coach described the act as “unbelievable”.
Legendary former Bafana Bafana striker McCarthy was shown the door last week following the Citizens’ poor run that had seen them win just two times in 18 outings.
“I never saw that (McCarthy being fired) coming. It is sad and it is unbelievable,” Mosimane lamented, adding that he was surprised at how easily McCarthy adapted to coaching.
Another level
“I never thought Benni would take coaching this seriously to be honest. He really came out and took it to another level.”
That, though, was clearly not enough, McCarthy being fired with the season not even near the halfway mark. The fact that he won City the MTN8 and took them to two finals in the two-and-a-bit seasons he was in charge clearly counted for nothing.
“His team was playing very well. Of course they were not winning many games this season. But were they playing well? Yes, they’ve been playing very well. They are a good team.”
And Mosimane believes John Comitis, the City owner, should have perhaps exercised some patience with the young coach who holds a Uefa Pro coaching licence.
“The guy is still new. He has two years of coaching experience but he has already won a cup. Do your research and see how many coaches in this country who have been coaching for more than 10 years but haven’t won a cup. Two years and the guy has won a cup. Give him a chance, hey. And he is playing good football,” Mosimane reasoned.
That, though, is not how the trigger-happy club owners think. A few bad results and they are up in arms.
“I talk on the side of the coaches because the team owners will say we haven’t won for the past seven games but he didn’t lose seven games, did he?”
The multiple championship-winning coach is saddened that coaches from outside easily get jobs here while they are very unlikely to be afforded such leeway outside South Africa. And, he reasons, it is not as though the foreigners bring anything special to the table.
“I was very angry when Clinton Larsen lost his job (at Chippa United). Really? What’s the difference. I was not happy when Cavin Johnson was let go. What has happened? Is there a big difference? You can’t say there’s a big difference.
“I speak for local coaches because we as local coaches don’t get jobs when we go to Slovakia, Serbia. They don’t take us. I can’t go to Germany, they won’t take me,” Mosimane stated.
“We need our guys to be given enough time. Even those that have been here. What have they done? Do you know how many years they have been here? What have they won?
“Steve Komphela was let go from his job at Kaizer Chiefs last year; what happened last season? He finished third when he was there but was taken out of his job. Where did Chiefs finish last season? (ninth).
“So, you tell me now.”
