AmaZulu coach Benni McCarthy has “agreed in principle” to become the next coach of Bafana Bafana, according to a TimesLive report.
The report claimed that McCarthy has agreed to become the coach of the South African men’s national team, though he would like to take Usuthu coaching staff Moeneeb Josephs and Siyabonga Nomvethe along with him.
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The South African Football Association (SAFA) will also still need to negotiate for his release with AmaZulu, whose Chairperson Sandile Zungu has already indicated that he is not keen to let go of McCarthy.
McCarthy has attracted praise his taking charge of Usuthu last December as he has transformed the Durban club from perennial PSL strugglers and into one which is now firmly among the best teams in the league.
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Former Real Madrid and Colombia manager Carlos Quieroz was previously the favourite to take charge of Bafana Bafana, though it has been said that he rejected the chance to coach South Africa for a second time, as did Al Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane who was also tipped for the job.
Other contenders for the Bafana Bafana job include Belgian Hugo Broos and current Herve Renard. Renard is a respected coach in Africa, having won the African Cup of Nations with both Ivory Coast and Zambia, though negotiating for him to arrive in South Africa will be difficult as he is currently contracted to the Saudi Arabian national team.
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Speaking to the media in Durban on Thursday, McCarthy indicated that he is happy in Durban.
“My heart is here. I am very happy and I love what I do. I came in with the biggest smile on my face. I am happy where I am. There will always be rumours when you do well and are successful. It’s a shame that Golden Arrows coach Mandla Ncikazi is not linked with the Bafana Bafana job with what he is doing Golden Arrows,” said McCarthy.