Aden McCarthy turns Kaizer Chiefs ‘noise’ into motivation

Aden McCarthy knows there will always be talk about his surname, but the Kaizer Chiefs defender is determined to use it as fuel rather than pressure.

Son of Amakhosi legend Fabian McCarthy, the young centre-back is constantly compared to his father yet insists he is focused on writing his own story at Naturena.

“I wouldn’t say there’s pressure,” McCarthy explained when asked about the expectations around him at the Kaizer Chiefs Village. “You know, there’s always outside noise, comparisons, and all of that stuff. I’ve had this question since the first time I started playing for the DDC reserve team. For me, I just turn that pressure into drive. I want to do what he did, I want to do better, and I just want to take it to another level.”

McCarthy highlighted how Chiefs’ pre-season tour in the Netherlands laid the groundwork for their improvement this campaign. “I feel like what we started doing in the pre-season tour in the Netherlands helped us as a team to become a unit,” he said, noting that the squad stuck to their goals despite changes during the season.

As Chiefs prepare to face Chippa United in their final Betway Premiership clash at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday, McCarthy is focused on ending the season strongly and continuing his steady rise.